Appointing new Election Commissioner now not morally right: Congress' Karti Chidambaram
Mar 11, 2024
New Delhi [India], March 11 : After Election Commissioner Arun Goel resigned ahead of Lok Sabha polls, Congress MP Karti Chidambaram said that though Prime Minister Narendra Modi is slated to hold a meeting on March 15 to appoint a new person for the post, it is not "morally" right.
"With a few days left for the announcement of the election schedule, he has resigned and now we have only one Chief Election Commissioner. It is very sad...On the 15th PM Modi will head the meeting to select the next Election Commisioner. As per law, it's right but morally, it's not. Even Jesus was crucified as per law but morally, it's not right,," Karti Chidambaram said on Monday.
On the State Bank of India (SBI) seeking more time from the Supreme Court of India to submit details of electoral bonds, Karti Chidambaram said that it is "dangerous for democracy".
"After the Supreme Court's verdict, banks should give the details of the electoral bonds to the Election Commision. But the bank is seeking time to submit the details, saying that they need time to tally. In such a situation, conducting elections is dangerous for democracy," Chidambaram said.
The Supreme Court heard a State Bank of India (SBI) plea on March 11 seeking an extension of time until June 30 to submit details of electoral bonds to the Election Commission of India.
On March 15, the Constitution bench of the Supreme Court asked the SBI to furnish details of the political parties that have received electoral bonds since April 12, 2019, and all the particulars received and submit them to the Election Commission of India by March 6.
This came when the top court held the electoral bond scheme was violative of Article 19(1)(a) and unconstitutional and struck down the electoral bond scheme.
As the State Bank of India (SBI) missed the deadline to submit the details, it has moved the Supreme Court to seek an extension of time until June 30 to submit the details of electoral Bonds to the Election Commission of India. SBI, in its application, said that it needs extra time to disclose details of electoral bonds encashed by political parties.
