Thursday, March 30 2006 18:26 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The NDA petition demanding the removal of Election Commissioner Navin Chawla, who has been accused of having links with the Congress, has been referred by President A P J Abdul Kalam to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Official sources today (Mar 30, 2006) said the memorandum submitted by over 200 MPs in the context of controversy over Chawla-family trusts receiving donations from Congress MPs was forwarded by Kalam earlier this month.

In the memorandum, the NDA contended that Chawla's continuation as Election Commissioner would put a question mark on the credibility of the Election Commission in the upcoming elections to five state assemblies.

They demanded his removal from the EC for his alleged links with the Congress party and the role he played during Emergency. The NDA has also sent a copy of their memorandum to the Chief Election Commissioner.

Chawla, who was appointed as Election Commissioner last year, is accused of having received over Rs.85 lakh for his family trusts from Congress politicians.

The memorandum cited Shah Commission's report to drive home NDA's contention that Chawla was "unfit" to hold any public office.