Navin Chawla: Former CEC who enabled third gender to cast votes as ‘Other’

Former chief election commissioner (CEC) Navin Chawla, who ushered in key reforms including enabling third gender voters to exercise their franchise in a new category of “Other”, died during on an ongoing treatment at a private hospital in Delhi on Saturday morning. He was 79.

A 1969-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of AGMUT cadre, Chawla was the election commissioner (EC) between 2005 and 2009, and then appointed as the 16th CEC from April 2009 to July 2010. During his tenure as CEC, the poll body successfully conducted the 2009 Lok Sabha elections and assembly polls in seven states, ECI said in a statement.

“Chawla, during his tenure, led many reforms including enabling third gender voters to exercise a preference to vote in a new category of ‘Other’ instead of being compelled to vote as ‘Male’ or ‘Female’,” the ECI said, condoling his death.

The poll body recalled that Chawla, as CEC, advocated for constitutional reforms to bring on par the process of removal of election commissioners with that of the CEC. “His leadership and commitment to the electoral process will continue to inspire us at the Election Commission of India,” the ECI said in its tribute.

Chawla’s tenure in the poll body had its own share of controversies, with the then CEC N Gopalaswami recommending to the government to remove Chawla as an election commissioner in early 2009. The recommendation was based on an earlier petition filed by the then Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which accused Chawla of being “partisan”.

The BJP had submitted a petition to the then president APJ Abdul Kalam in 2006, seeking the removal of Chawla as an election commissioner for alleged partisanship. It also took the matter to the Supreme Court.

A graduate from Delhi University’s St Stephen’s College, Chawla also studied at the School of Oriental and African Studies, London University. Chawla was also known as the biographer of Mother Teresa. The biography titled “Mother Teresa” was first published in the UK in 1992, and has seen many translations and editions since then.

He also co-authored “Faith and Compassion: The Life and Work of Mother Teresa” with photographs by Raghu Rai. It was published in the UK in 1997.

“We pray for the noble departed soul and convey our profound condolences,” the ECI said in the statement.

Chawla is survived by his wife and two daughters.