Chawla named CEC,BJP says we’ll watch him very closely

Election Commissioner Navin Chawla will take over as the next Chief Election Commissioner on April 20,succeeding N Gopalaswami who will retire on that day. Chawla,an IAS officer of the 1969 batch,will hold charge till July 29,2010 when he will attain the age of 65 years.

Days after President Pratibha Patil,on the advice of the Government,rejected Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswamis recommendation for the removal of Election Commissioner Navin Chawla over his alleged Congress bias,Rashtrapati Bhavan today announced that Chawla would take over as the CEC on April 20 when Gopalaswami retires.

As reported by The Indian Express,Gopalaswami,in his recommendation,built a case for Chawlas removal by citing instances of his alleged Congress bias. The BJP,which had been demanding his removal for the same reason,reacted angrily to the appointment of Chawla as the new CEC,calling it an affront to Indian democracy.

BJP general secretary Arun Jaitley said the Governments decision was unfortunate as Chawla would assume office with a baggage of past and recent conduct… the onus would be on him to show that he was politically not attached to the Congress. Jaitley said we will watch the situation very closely,adding that the BJP had the option of moving court.

The President had rejected Gopalaswamis recommendation on the advice of the Law Ministry which said the CEC had no suo motu power to recommend the ouster of an EC and that there was no merit in the allegations. A 1969 IAS official,Chawla,who will be the CEC until he turns 65 on July 29,2010,will take charge after the first of the five phases in the Lok Sabha polls.

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