Gopalaswami, Chawla come face to face in routine meet

Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami came face to face with Election Commissioner Navin Chawla for the first time after the controversy broke out in the last two days.

In the midst of hullabaloo over the recommendation for the removal of his colleague, Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami on Monday came face to face with Election Commissioner Navin Chawla for the first time after the controversy broke out in the last two days.

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Both of them attended a meeting held at the Nirvachan Sadan in which the third Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi was also present, EC sources merely said it was a routine meeting, apparently in preparation for the meetings from tomorrow on preparation for the Lok Sabha polls.

The full Commission would be chairing a meeting of leaders of political parties tomorrow to discuss the General Elections which are expected sometime in April-May.

Gopalaswami's recommendation to President Pratibha Patil for the removal of Chawla on charges of "partisan" functioning drew sharp reaction from various political parties which questioned the timing of his action. The government has virtually rejected it.