JOIN USDMK backs Advani's views on CEC and CAG
Apparently miffed at Congress-led UPA government’s token reduction in the latest hike in petrol price, DMK President, M Karunanidhi on Tuesday sought to embarrass the Centre by joining hands with the BJP on a very different, but key “governance issue”.
In a startlingly timed statement here on Tuesday evening, Karunanidhi categorically backed senior BJP leader L K Advani’s demand that high Constitutional posts like that of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), be appointed by a “broad-based Collegium” to remove any impression of bias or lack of transparency and fairness in such appointments.
Advani in his letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had suggested that the new member to Election Commission— with the present CEC S Y Quraishi to retire by June-end, “be appointed by such a broad-based Collegium comprising the Prime Minister as its Chairman, the Chief Justice of India, the Minister of Law and Justice and the Leaders of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha as its members.”
Referring to Advani’s letter, Karunanidhi said: “I am in agreement with it.” Stating that a viewpoint, suggestion or idea could not be ignored by the government just because it came from the Opposition, the DMK chief noted that Advani had called for the appointment of the Constitutional posts like the CEC and CAG by a Collegium as the present process did not inspire the confidence of the people.
“I hope the Prime Minister and the Central government will give the suggestion a serious consideration and consider Advani’s demand,” Karunanidhi said, adding that the senior BJP leader’s views on this issue were not something that could be ignored.
Advani had argued that the present system of the members of the EC being appointed by the President, solely on the PM’s advice, “does not inspire confidence among the people”.
“Keeping these important decisions as the exclusive preserve of the ruling party renders the selection process vulnerable to manipulation and partisanship,” the BJP senior leader had said.