After Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu rejected the notice to impeach Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, eminent lawyer Prashant Bhushan tweeted that Naidu does not possess the powers to do so and can only check if the notice is procedurally correct.
"What!! VP Naidu rejects impeachment motion against CJI signed by 64 RS MPs! On what grounds? He has no power to say that charges are not made out. That's for the inquiry committee of 3 judges. He only has to see if it's signed by >50 MPs & possibly if charges are of misbehaviour," Bhushan tweeted.
Several other political leaders also voiced their concern over the matter. Congress leader PL Punia said that his party will talk to legal experts and decide on its next move.
"This is a really important matter. We don't know what was the reason for the rejection. Congress and other opposition parties will talk to some legal experts and take the next step," he said.
Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi tweeted, "Expectedly, Sh Naidu rejected imp'ment motion. Unexpectedly, he did so within one day of returning from outstn. Hopefully, the alacrity was not intended to render infructuous calls for CJI to stop Admn work."
Congress leaders Kapil sibal, Randeep Surjewala, Vivek Tankha and KTS Tulsi are scheduled to hold a press conference later today over Naidu rejecting the impeachment notice.
Watch: Huddle over impeachment, Naidu consults experts