AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Thursday welcomed the Supreme Court ruling that the appointment of Chief Election Commissioner and the election commissioners will be done by the President on the advice of a committee comprising Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha and the Chief Justice of India.
Addressing a public meeting organised here on the occasion of AIMIM 's 65th Foundation Day, he hoped that transparency will come with the SC decision and that the election commissioner would be more independent.
"For democracy, it is necessary that transparency comes in the Election Commission and he (election commissioner) gets more independence," he said.
During the debate on Article 324 in the Constituent Assembly, all favoured more powers to the election commissioner, he said.
In a landmark verdict aimed at insulating the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and election commissioners from the executive's interference, the Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that their appointments will be done by the President on the advice of a committee comprising the prime minister, leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha and the CJI.
Owaisi spoke about the comments of radical preacher Amritpal Singh in Punjab, and in an apparent reference to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, he asked as to why is the latter silent on the issue.
"We would like to ask India's Prime Minister. In Punjab, one 'saahab' has come from Dubai. His name is Amrit. BJP says it is 'Amirtkaal'. Who is this Amrit in 'Amritkaal' and why is the Amit silent?," he said.
"If any Muslim said the same thing, our TV anchors would have shown it 24 hours. (They would have said) 'Owaisi said this today. He spoke about the country'. But, what is this? Nothing is said on this," he said.
The AIMIM president asked his party leaders to start preparations for the Assembly elections to be held in Telangana later this year.
The preparations should be to see to it that hatred ends and peace wins and the progress of Telangana continues, he said.
