New Delhi: The Maharashtra Assembly, in an unprecedented step on Thursday, sentenced state Election Commissioner Nand Lal to two days of imprisonment for breach of privilege. However, after a political outcry broke out, the Maharashtra Assembly privilege committee pardoned Lal.
Lal had issued an order on March 7, 2006, that only the State Election Commission had the powers to conduct elections of office bearers of civic bodies such as mayors, deputy mayors and chairmen.
This had prompted a legislator, Janardan Chandurkar, to table a breach of privilege notice against Lal on March 27, 2006. His contention was that Lal’s order was in contravention of the election law made by the legislature. The House had referred the matter to the privilege committee.
Reacting sharply to the Assembly's decision, Lal said, “This is a case of political vendetta because I did not pay heed to the Chief Minister's pressure over delimitation of Latur (Lok Sabha) constituency.”
“He has so many times committed breach of code of conduct for which notices were issued and he has felt necessary through others to put me in proper place so that I bow to his desire. Come what may I'm even ready to die but I’ll not compromise with my principles. I’ve never done that in my life and I’ll never do it in future,” Lal added.
The Assembly had unanimously approved the report of the privilege committee, headed by Chandrakant Chhajed, which was set up last year in the backdrop of the senior IAS official's belligerent stance against Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh regarding Latur constituency from where the CM hails.
The panel warned Lal of "even more stringent action" if he failed to cooperate with the committee in future.
"By refusing to depose before the committee and also by refusing to submit a signed clarification, Nand Lal has obstructed the constitutional and legislative functions of the committee", the committee said.
(With agency inputs)
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