Some Strategic Shifts

Author: Lakshmi Iyer
Publication: India Today
Date: May 30, 2005

The Election Commission is attracting more attention than usual these days. In the midst of the controversy raised by bureaucrat L.V. Saptarishi's charges of bias against the present CEC B.B. Tandon and his deputy N. Gopalaswami, political circles are abuzz with the appointment of high-profile I&B secretary Navin Chawla to the EC. Everyone assumed that the retiring bureaucrat who is close to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi would end up as home secretary. But Sonia has managed to get him appointed as an election commissioner. An EC posting is the best postretirement option for IAS officers in general. It allows them as many as six years on the job or till they reach 65 years, whichever is earlier.

EC sources say Sonia's strategy is to ensure that Chawla heads the panel during the May 2009 general elections. Ale will complete 65 years on June 30 that year. While Tandon lays down office in 2006, the next in line, Gopalaswami, retires as in September 2008. So Chawla will preside over the EC for 10 months. And will supervise an election that may elect yet another Gandhi to power.
 

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