NEW DELHI, 1 July 2006 — N. Gopalaswami assumed charge as chief election commissioner of India yesterday. He replaces B.B. Tandon, who retired Thursday. Gopalaswami, 62 will hold office as the 15th chief election commissioner until April 2009. Spelling out his commitment, Gopalaswami read out a statement before answering questions from the media. “I will assure one and all that I will strive to the best of my ability to continue the good work of the previous chief election commissioners and live up to the expectations of the voters and other stakeholders who value this institution as a neutral umpire,” he said.
Dismissing charges that the commission’s credibility has suffered in recent months, Gopalaswami said: “I though the credibility of the commission, on the contrary, has gone up. As far as the left parties are concerned, it is their privilege to have a go at the commission. The commission has proved that it is a truly independent, vibrant and highly respected institution.”
