President rejects CEC suggestion to axe Chawla

President Pratibha Patil Sunday rejected the recommendation of Chief Election Commissioner N. Gopalaswami to remove his colleague Navin Chawla, who is now expected to preside over the coming Lok Sabha polls.
Archana Dutta, officer on special duty in the Rashtrapati Bhawan, said the president had taken the decision 'after careful consideration' of various aspects including a report submitted by Gopalaswami seeking Election Commissioner Chawla's removal on grounds of bias.
'The president, after careful consideration of the report of the CEC, government recommendations, constitutional provisions, Supreme Court judgments, has arrived at a considered opinion and has accepted the recommendation of the government (to reject Gopalaswami's suggestion),' Dutta told IANS.
Gopalaswami is set to retire in April. Fresh parliamentary elections are expected to take place in April-May.