NEW DELHI: Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid Saturday said there was no friction between his ministry and the Election Commission which, like any constitutional body, was an autonomous institution.
"There is no need for friction, scope for friction and rationale of friction between the ministry of law and justice and the Election Commission," Khurshid told newsmen here.
Khurshid was talking to reporters after the launch of the book "Justice with Urdu" by chairman of Press Council of India Justice (Retd) Markandey Katju.
Responding to a query about Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi writing to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over Khurshid's statement that the Election Commission was under the administrative control of the law ministry, the minister said it was just a concern expressed by the poll panel chief and the prime minister had already replied to the letter.
Holding that the media misreported his statement, Khurshid said: "Election Commission, like any other constitutional body, is an autonomous institution."
"My request to the media is don't have a presumption of lack of intellect in us, it is proven otherwise," he added.
He said that the government will facilitate grant of greater autonomy to the commission.
"Parliament has to do it. I'm only an MP. It's not in my hands... a lot of people are getting excited about the Anna Hazare model of law making," Khurshid quipped.
On promising 9 percent quota for Muslims under the OBC reservation, Khurshid said his statement was the Congress' position that was articulated by the party even Saturday and was a part of its manifesto.