Parliament must probe EC's power: CPI

Agencies

New Delhi: Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami's recommendation for the removal of his colleague Navin Chawla has created suspicions of political motive and demanded that Parliament should now examine the power and functions of the Election Commission.

"The very timing of such a recommendation smacks of political motive, if at all. ... Time has come to examine the appointment and removal, powers and functions of the EC by Parliament," CPI National Secretary D Raja said from Tamil Nadu.

The CPI leader said the CEC knew that he was going to retire in three months and also that the country has to go for general elections in almost the same time.

"And at this time, he makes such a recommendation on the basis of a BJP complaint. He understands it could have serious constitutional and political implications," Raja said, adding that this leads to "serious suspicion about the political motivation."

Time has come for Parliament to discuss the power and functions of the EC as it has done in the matter of judges and their impeachment, he said.