Navin Chawla
Encyclopedia
Naveen a controversial Indian bureaucrat , is a retired chief election commissioner
of India. As Chief Election Commissioner, Navin Chawla oversaw the last 4 phases (out of 5) of Indian general election
to Loksabha in April–May 2009
. Despite apprehensions which had been expressed about his leanings towards the Congress Party
, he is thought to have conducted the elections in an even-handed manner, with actions taken against the alleged malpractices of Congress Governments in Rajasthan, Assam and Andhra Pradesh as well as the Congress Allied Government of Tamil Nadu. During his tenure as the chief election commissioner, the Election Commission of India
was honored as India’s Icon of the last 21years by NDTV, a private television channel in India.
Navin Chawla is best known for his pro-Indira Gandhi
actions as secretary to lieutenant governor of Delhi
during Indian emergency(1975–77) and for the biography of Mother Teresa
, a world-renowned christian missionary worker. The shah commission
, an independent commission headed by former chief justice of India
, JC Shah
and charged with inquiring into atrocities during emergency period, commented in its final report that Navin Chawla is “unfit to hold any public office which demands an attitude of fair play and consideration for others”. The Shah commission’s report was buried after Indira Gandhi
returned to power in 1980. Mrs. Gandhi, then Prime Minister
, personally “recalled all reports of Shah Commission wherever possible”.
According to his family, Navin Chawla was greatly influenced by Mother Teresa
in later years and retreated from the decision of resigning civil service
in 1997 with her advise.
(1968). He was a Fellow of Queen Elizabeth House during his Oxford University study in 1996.
officer of the 1969 batch. He was appointed as Election Commissioner in 2005 to fill the vacancy caused by the elevation of B. B. Tandon as the Chief Election Commissioner of India
. He served from 16 May 2005 to 30 July 2010.
His association with Mother Teresa resulted in his authoring her official biography – Mother Teresa.
officer. The most controversial of his postings was early in his career as the director of Delhi Finance Corporation. Since then he was a finance secretary, labor secretary and chairman of an electricity board. He worked on deputation at International Labor Organization during 1984–86.
Election Commissioner and his wife Rupika ran the Jaipur
-based Lala Chaman Lal Education Trust which had secured MPLADS funds from Congress MPs – A.A. Khan, R.P. Goenka, Ambika Soni
, Dr Karan Singh
and Mr A.R. Kidwai. The trust was allotted 6 acres (24,281.2 m²) of land by the Congress government in Rajasthan when Mr Ashok Gehlot
was the Chief Minister.
In March 2006, the National Democratic Alliance
presented the President of India
, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam with a memorandum signed by over 200 MP
s for his removal. The memorandum questioned his impartiality in light of his alleged links with the Indian National Congress
.This was examined by the then congress government and subsequently no action was taken.
In May 2006 Jaswant Singh
the leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha
moved Supreme Court of India
seeking removal of the Navin Chawla as chief election commissioner in view of his life long association with congress politicians and the recent MPLADS controversy. The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court
that he had the powers to remove an Election Commissioner (EC). In view of this stand, the BJP withdrew its petition. The Supreme Court ruled “We are allowing withdrawal of the petitions while keeping open all questions [raised in the petitions]. They can make representation to the CEC, who will decide such representation in accordance with law. We are not expressing any opinion on merits.”.
The Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami on 31 January 2009 sent his recommendation regarding removal of election commissioner Navin Chawla to the President of India. The CEC alleged that Chawla had discharged his duties as Election Commissioner in a partisan manner, seeking to further the interests of "one party." The CEC report contended that Chawla would take breaks during crucial meetings and secretly talk to functionaries of the Congress party and leak confidential details of the election commission. He is also reported to have opposed the Election Commission's notice to Sonia Gandhi for her accepting foreign honors from Belgium.
The CEC recommendation against Chawla has been politically controversial. However the Indian government led by Congress Party to which Chawla is accused of being favorable, has rejected the CEC recommendation against Chawla on Sunday, 1 March 2009. He took over CEC of India on 20 April 2009 and has successfully concluded the 2009 General Elections to the Parliament of India.
Two BJP lawyers and office bearers petitioned a local Jaipur court to lodge an FIR against Chawla as well as senior officials of the Govt. of Rajasthan regarding allotment of land to Chawla's trusts in Jaipur by Jaipur Development Authority
in 2000. The Court did not agree to order the filing of an FIR, and instead in an order dated 10 Feb 2009 asked the police to investigate the complaint against the seven named. The complaint has since been dismissed by the Court.
Omesh Saigal, an IIT alumnus and IAS officer blew the top of the Election Commissioner Navin Chawla in front of the whole nation when he successfully demonstrated that the 2009 elections in India when Congress Party of India came back to power might be rigged. This forced the election commission to review the current EVMs and brought bad reputation for Mr. Navin Chawla.
External links
Chief Election Commissioner of India
The Chief Election Commissioner heads the Election Commission of India, a body constitutionally empowered to conduct free and fair elections to the national and state legislatures...
of India. As Chief Election Commissioner, Navin Chawla oversaw the last 4 phases (out of 5) of Indian general election
General elections in India
The general elections in India are the elections by which the Indian electorate chooses the various members of the Lok Sabha in the Parliament for the next term of five years...
to Loksabha in April–May 2009
Indian general election, 2009
India held general elections to the 15th Lok Sabha in five phases between 16 April 2009 and 13 May 2009. With an electorate of 714 million , it was the largest democratic election in the world to date.By constitutional requirement, elections to the Lok Sabha must be...
. Despite apprehensions which had been expressed about his leanings towards the Congress Party
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
, he is thought to have conducted the elections in an even-handed manner, with actions taken against the alleged malpractices of Congress Governments in Rajasthan, Assam and Andhra Pradesh as well as the Congress Allied Government of Tamil Nadu. During his tenure as the chief election commissioner, the Election Commission of India
Election Commission of India
The Election Commission of India is an autonomous, quasi-judiciary constitutional body of India. Its mission is to conduct free and fair elections in India...
was honored as India’s Icon of the last 21years by NDTV, a private television channel in India.
Navin Chawla is best known for his pro-Indira Gandhi
Indira Gandhi
Indira Priyadarshini Gandhara was an Indian politician who served as the third Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms and a fourth term . She was assassinated by Sikh extremists...
actions as secretary to lieutenant governor of Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
during Indian emergency(1975–77) and for the biography of Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa , born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu , was a Roman Catholic nun of Albanian ethnicity and Indian citizenship, who founded the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, India, in 1950...
, a world-renowned christian missionary worker. The shah commission
Shah Commission
Shah Commission was a commission of inquiry appointed by Government of India in 1977 to inquire into all the excesses committed in the Indian Emergency . It was headed by Justice J.C. Shah, a former chief Justice of India...
, an independent commission headed by former chief justice of India
Chief Justice of India
The Chief Justice of India is the highest-ranking judge in the Supreme Court of India, and thus holds the highest judicial position in India. As well as presiding in the Supreme Court, the Chief Justice also head its administrative functions....
, JC Shah
Shah Commission
Shah Commission was a commission of inquiry appointed by Government of India in 1977 to inquire into all the excesses committed in the Indian Emergency . It was headed by Justice J.C. Shah, a former chief Justice of India...
and charged with inquiring into atrocities during emergency period, commented in its final report that Navin Chawla is “unfit to hold any public office which demands an attitude of fair play and consideration for others”. The Shah commission’s report was buried after Indira Gandhi
Indira Gandhi
Indira Priyadarshini Gandhara was an Indian politician who served as the third Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms and a fourth term . She was assassinated by Sikh extremists...
returned to power in 1980. Mrs. Gandhi, then Prime Minister
Prime Minister of India
The Prime Minister of India , as addressed to in the Constitution of India — Prime Minister for the Union, is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in parliament...
, personally “recalled all reports of Shah Commission wherever possible”.
According to his family, Navin Chawla was greatly influenced by Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa , born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu , was a Roman Catholic nun of Albanian ethnicity and Indian citizenship, who founded the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, India, in 1950...
in later years and retreated from the decision of resigning civil service
Indian Administrative Service
The Indian Administrative Service is the administrative civil service of the Government of India. It is one of the three All India Services....
in 1997 with her advise.
Early life and education
Navin Chawla was born in New Delhi. He studied at the Lawrence School, Sanawar, Himachal Pradesh, (1953–1961) and received his Senior School Certificate in 1961. He received the Government of India Scholarship for the first two years at The Lawrence School. He did his B.A. (Hons.) History, St. Stephen’s College, Delhi (1962–66) and then his B.A. (Hons.) History from London University (1965–67). He also holds a diploma in Social Administration from the London School of EconomicsLondon School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
(1968). He was a Fellow of Queen Elizabeth House during his Oxford University study in 1996.
Career
Navin Chawla is an IASIndian Administrative Service
The Indian Administrative Service is the administrative civil service of the Government of India. It is one of the three All India Services....
officer of the 1969 batch. He was appointed as Election Commissioner in 2005 to fill the vacancy caused by the elevation of B. B. Tandon as the Chief Election Commissioner of India
Chief Election Commissioner of India
The Chief Election Commissioner heads the Election Commission of India, a body constitutionally empowered to conduct free and fair elections to the national and state legislatures...
. He served from 16 May 2005 to 30 July 2010.
His association with Mother Teresa resulted in his authoring her official biography – Mother Teresa.
Earlier posts held
Navin Chawla in his long career held various posts in multiple branches of Union Government, as is expected of an IASIndian Administrative Service
The Indian Administrative Service is the administrative civil service of the Government of India. It is one of the three All India Services....
officer. The most controversial of his postings was early in his career as the director of Delhi Finance Corporation. Since then he was a finance secretary, labor secretary and chairman of an electricity board. He worked on deputation at International Labor Organization during 1984–86.
Initiatives as Election Commissioner
Navin Chawla has taken various initiatives related to the reform of both the Electoral Process as well as the functioning of the Election Commission. He has- Sought for Constitutional sanction of Impeachment for the removal of all Election Commissioners so as to bring the process for removal in line with that for the removal of the Chief Election Commissioner.
- Taken special interest to ensure that Eunuchs (The Third Sex) get the right to vote. They had been left out of the democratic process since they could neither register themselves as “Male” nor “Female”. Now they can register themselves as “Other.” The issue was first raised by the students of KIIT Law SchoolKIIT Law SchoolKIIT Law School is a law school imparting legal education to the students. The institution is situated in Bhubaneswar, Orissa within the KIIT University campus and is affiliated to the same. KLS offers five years integrated course in B.A. LLB., BBA. LLB. and BSc...
, BhubaneswarBhubaneswarBhubaneswar is the capital of the Indian state of Orissa, officially Odisha. The city has a long history of over 2000 years starting with Chedi dynasty who had Sisupalgarh near present-day Bhubaneswar as their capital...
, during an interaction with Mr. Chawla.
- Called for regulating the participation of Undertrial Prisoners in the Electoral process. At present Undertrial Prisoners are not allowed to vote while they can stand for Election until finally convicted.
Controversies and Political Opposition
Navin Chawla is best known in India for his association with the atrocities and excesses of emergency rule in India. Chawla went to school with Sanjay Gandhi, younger son of then prime minister Indira Gandhi and was considered one of his henchmen. JC Shah, the former chief justice of India commented in the inquiry report that Chawla was unfit to hold any public office. This report was later rejected by the congress government headed by Indira Gandhi, which was back in power in 1980. The government also took the extraordinary step of recalling every published report and destroying the copies. It is now believed that not a single copy of this report exists in India. A third and final report of the commission seems to have slipped out and is currently held by National Library of Australia.Election Commissioner and his wife Rupika ran the Jaipur
Jaipur
Jaipur , also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Founded on 18 November 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, the city today has a population of more than 3.1 million....
-based Lala Chaman Lal Education Trust which had secured MPLADS funds from Congress MPs – A.A. Khan, R.P. Goenka, Ambika Soni
Ambika Soni
Ambika Soni is an Indian politician belonging to Indian National Congress. She currently serves in the Union Cabinet as the minister in charge of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, after serving in Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Culture from 2006–2009.She is a member of the Indian...
, Dr Karan Singh
Karan Singh
Karan Singh is an MP in the Rajya Sabha, a senior member of the ruling Indian National Congress Party serving as Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Department, President of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations , India's Ambassador to UNESCO, Chairman of the Auroville Foundation and of the Temple...
and Mr A.R. Kidwai. The trust was allotted 6 acres (24,281.2 m²) of land by the Congress government in Rajasthan when Mr Ashok Gehlot
Ashok Gehlot
Ashok Gehlot is the 21st & 23rd Chief Minister of the state of Rajasthan, India.-Personal:Shri Ashok Gehlot, son of Late Shri Laxman Singh Gehlot, was born on 3 May 1951 in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. A Science and Law Graduate, Shri Gehlot holds an M.A. in Economics. Married to Smt. Sunita Gehlot on 27...
was the Chief Minister.
In March 2006, the National Democratic Alliance
National Democratic Alliance (India)
The National Democratic Alliance is a centre-right coalition of political parties in India. At the time of its formation in 1998, it was led by the Bharatiya Janata Party and had thirteen constituent parties. Its convenor is Sharad Yadav, and its honorary chairman is former prime minister Atal...
presented the President of India
President of India
The President of India is the head of state and first citizen of India, as well as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. President of India is also the formal head of all the three branches of Indian Democracy - Legislature, Executive and Judiciary...
, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam with a memorandum signed by over 200 MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
s for his removal. The memorandum questioned his impartiality in light of his alleged links with the Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
.This was examined by the then congress government and subsequently no action was taken.
In May 2006 Jaswant Singh
Jaswant Singh
- Career :He is one of the few Indian politicians to have been the Minister for Defence, Finance and External Affairs.He started the new government of Vajpayee, which lasted its full term, as the External Affairs Minister and later on switched his ministry to Finance with Yashwant Sinha...
the leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha
Rajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha or Council of States is the upper house of the Parliament of India. Rajya means "state," and Sabha means "assembly hall" in Sanskrit. Membership is limited to 250 members, 12 of whom are chosen by the President of India for their expertise in specific fields of art, literature,...
moved Supreme Court of India
Supreme Court of India
The Supreme Court of India is the highest judicial forum and final court of appeal as established by Part V, Chapter IV of the Constitution of India...
seeking removal of the Navin Chawla as chief election commissioner in view of his life long association with congress politicians and the recent MPLADS controversy. The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court
Supreme Court of India
The Supreme Court of India is the highest judicial forum and final court of appeal as established by Part V, Chapter IV of the Constitution of India...
that he had the powers to remove an Election Commissioner (EC). In view of this stand, the BJP withdrew its petition. The Supreme Court ruled “We are allowing withdrawal of the petitions while keeping open all questions [raised in the petitions]. They can make representation to the CEC, who will decide such representation in accordance with law. We are not expressing any opinion on merits.”.
The Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami on 31 January 2009 sent his recommendation regarding removal of election commissioner Navin Chawla to the President of India. The CEC alleged that Chawla had discharged his duties as Election Commissioner in a partisan manner, seeking to further the interests of "one party." The CEC report contended that Chawla would take breaks during crucial meetings and secretly talk to functionaries of the Congress party and leak confidential details of the election commission. He is also reported to have opposed the Election Commission's notice to Sonia Gandhi for her accepting foreign honors from Belgium.
The CEC recommendation against Chawla has been politically controversial. However the Indian government led by Congress Party to which Chawla is accused of being favorable, has rejected the CEC recommendation against Chawla on Sunday, 1 March 2009. He took over CEC of India on 20 April 2009 and has successfully concluded the 2009 General Elections to the Parliament of India.
Two BJP lawyers and office bearers petitioned a local Jaipur court to lodge an FIR against Chawla as well as senior officials of the Govt. of Rajasthan regarding allotment of land to Chawla's trusts in Jaipur by Jaipur Development Authority
Jaipur Development Authority
Jaipur Development Authority is the agency of the Government of Rajasthan responsible for working for the benefit of the citizens of Jaipur with planned implementation of development schemes and is consistently striving to take Jaipur at higher levels of progress...
in 2000. The Court did not agree to order the filing of an FIR, and instead in an order dated 10 Feb 2009 asked the police to investigate the complaint against the seven named. The complaint has since been dismissed by the Court.
Omesh Saigal, an IIT alumnus and IAS officer blew the top of the Election Commissioner Navin Chawla in front of the whole nation when he successfully demonstrated that the 2009 elections in India when Congress Party of India came back to power might be rigged. This forced the election commission to review the current EVMs and brought bad reputation for Mr. Navin Chawla.
Awards
- Mazzini award by the Government of Italy "in recognition of his efforts to forge a new relationship with ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and strengthening existing bonds" 2005 - Award from the Institution of Directors, New Delhi – 2004.
Further reading
- " Overcoming the stigma of leprosy " – article in the Hindu dated 30 January 2008
- " The miracle of faith" – article in the Hindu dated 25 August 2007
- " Memories of Mother Teresa" – article in the Hindu dated 26 August 2006
- " Touch the Poor..." – article in India Today dated 15 September 1997
- " The path to Sainthood " – article in The Hindu dated Saturday, 4 Oct 2003
- " In the shadow of a saint " – article in The Indian Express dated September, 05, 2007
- " Chawla's appointment was wrong " – Article in The New Indian Express Dated 1 February 2009 – S Gurumurthy
- " Poll panel’s credibility: It’s vital for free and fair elections"-article in The Tribune dated 19 February 2008
- "Mission Possible" – article in India Today dated 21 April 2008
- " Unlit Lamps in Attics " – article in Outlook dated 28 April 2008
- " Mother Teresa and the joy of giving" – article in the Hindu dated 26 August 2008
- " The mystery of Mother Teresa" – article in the Hindu dated 26 August 2009
External links
- "Mother Teresa" – Navin Chawla has authored her Official BiographyMother TeresaMother Teresa , born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu , was a Roman Catholic nun of Albanian ethnicity and Indian citizenship, who founded the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, India, in 1950...
- Lectures
- Conferences