NEW DELHI: Questioned by the opposition over the speed at which he dismissed a notice for the impeachment of Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday told a group of lawyers his decision was "not hasty" and came after "over a month of due diligence".
According to sources present at the meeting, ten Supreme Court lawyers met Naidu on Tuesday morning "to compliment him" and discuss the implications of the notice.
"I don't think it warrants compliments as I only did what was expected of me and in the manner, the Chairman of Rajya Sabha was expected to conduct in such matters. Some Members of the House had a point of view and the right to express it while I had a responsibility cast on me. I have done my job and am satisfied with it," Naidu reportedly told the lawyers.
Naidu also referred to media reports for over a month about discussions on such notice against the Chief Justice of India and said: "I have since been working on the provisions, procedures and precedents in the matter given the serious nature of the proposal and its implications and the imperative need for a timely decision".
Naidu consulted legal and constitutional experts.
At a press conference on Monday, Congress leader Kapil Sibal said his party was of the view that the move by Naidu was "illegal" and hasty.
Finance minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday said that Congress's move to approach the Supreme Court after Rajya Sabha chairman Venkaiah Naidu rejected the Congress-led impeachment motion against the Chief Justice of India would be a blunder for the party.