An advocate in the Election Commission’s panel of counsels in the Supreme Court has resigned, saying his “values are not in consonance” with the poll panel at this time, Live Law reported on Friday.

In his resignation letter on Thursday, the lawyer, Mohit D Ram, said he had a “cherishing milestone” in his career that began with being part of the office of standing counsel of the Election Commission and led to him becoming one of the panel counsels.

“However, I have found that my values are not in consonance with the current functioning of the ECI; and hence I withdraw myself from the responsibilities of its panel counsel before the Supreme Court of India,” Ram said. He was a panel counsel in the Supreme Court since 2013.

Ram’s resignation came after the Election Commission moved the Supreme Court last week against the Madras High Court’s observation that the poll body should be booked on charges of murder for allowing rallies to continue in spite of the massive second wave of coronavirus pandemic. On April 29, the EC had approached the Madras High Court seeking directions to restrain the media from reporting on its criticism of the poll panel.

Hearing the case, the Supreme Court had observed that the media cannot be stopped from reporting any court hearing. “The media is powerful and communicating what happens in court,” the bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and MR Shah had told the poll panel. “Not only our judgements, but raising of questions, answers and dialogues is a concern for citizens. Media not reporting observations is far-fetched.”