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There is this to be said for the honourable Om Birla, speaker of the Lok Sabha: as a No-Confidence motion came to be tabled for his removal on charges of alleged partisan conduct in the running of the House, he lost not a minute in recusing himself from his perch, vowing not to return till he was exonerated.

This was done truly in the best interests of probity at the highest rung of constitutional governance.

But if you thought his laudable example may henceforth be emulated by other worthies in high constitutional office, think again.

Close on the heels of the now defeated No-Confidence motion against the honourable speaker, 193 members, no less, of parliament have tabled a motion to impeach the Chief Election Commissioner of India on grounds of, allegedly, failing to uphold with impartiality the “ basic” constitutional injunction to ensure “free and fair” elections in the republic by favouring, in multiple ways, the prospects of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)

Illustration: Pariplab Chakraborty.

This is the first time since the........

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