BJP, SP withdraw petitions against Chawla

In surprise development today, BJP and the Samajwadi Party withdrew their writ petitions before the Supreme Court demanding the removal of Election Commissioner Navin Chawla.

The case was being argued for two weeks. The curtains fell when Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalawami stated in an affidavit today that he had the power to initiate action against an Election Commissioner on the basis of a petition to him. The representation against Chawla was made by more than 200 MPs to the President, who turned it over to the Council of Ministers which in turn sent it to Gopalawami.