Cong MLA seeks impeachment of Maharashtra state poll panel chief; speaker rejects plea

Nagpur, Dec 10 (PTI) Maharashtra assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar on Wednesday rejected senior Congress MLA Nana Patole's demand to initiate impeachment proceedings against the State Election Commissioner (SEC) over the conduct of the recent local body elections.

Narwekar, in his ruling, observed the plea fell outside the purview of the assembly and was inconsistent with a recent Supreme Court judgment relating to the impeachment of a high court judge.

Patole, a former assembly speaker, accused the SEC of "strangling democracy in broad daylight" and said the confusion among voters was the poll panel chief's responsibility.

Citing Article 243 of the Constitution, the Opposition MLA said that if the irregularities were acknowledged, impeachment proceedings must follow.

He argued that since Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had described the irregularities as "unprecedented", action under Article 243 (which deals with local self-government institutions) was necessary.

The first phase of local body elections in Maharashtra was originally announced for 246 municipal councils and 42 nagar panchayats (total 288) on December 2. However, voting for only 264 municipal councils and nagar panchayats took place on that day.

Polling for the remaining 24 municipal councils and nagar panchayats will be held on December 20. Vote count slated for December 21 will cover all the 246 municipal councils and 42 nagar panchayats.

Chief Minister Fadnavis had earlier expressed displeasure over the SEC's decision to defer polls in some municipal councils and nagar panchayats.

"I am unable to understand how they are interpreting rules to do this. I have spoken to several experts, including lawyers, and as far as I know, there is no provision to postpone polls a day before elections are scheduled," he had said.

The State Election Commission is responsible for administering elections to the third tier of governance -- the local self-government, which includes Panchayati Raj Institutions and urban local bodies. The Maharashtra SEC is headed by IAS officer Dinesh Waghmare.

The next phase of elections will cover 336 Panchayat Samitis, 32 Zilla Parishads and 29 municipal corporations across Maharashtra. PTI ND RSY