NAGPUR: Maharashtra assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar on Wednesday rejected senior Congress MLA Nana Patole's demand to initiate impeachment proceedings against the State Election Commissioner (SEC) over the conduct of the recent local body elections.

Narwekar, in his ruling, observed the plea fell outside the purview of the assembly and was inconsistent with a recent Supreme Court judgment relating to the impeachment of a high court judge.

Patole, a former assembly speaker, accused the SEC of "strangling democracy in broad daylight" and said the confusion among voters was the poll panel chief's responsibility.

Citing Article 243 of the Constitution, the Opposition MLA said that if the irregularities were acknowledged, impeachment proceedings must follow.

He argued that since Chief Mini

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