New chief election commissioner Navin Chawla: CEC was only "first among equals"

New chief election commissioner Navin Chawla,  on Tuesday said he and the other two Election commissioners were "equals" and the CEC was only "first among the equals".

Chawla, who took over as the CEC on his predecessor N Gopalaswami demitting office on Monday, recalled that the Supreme Court had in the TN Seshan case held that the CEC was only primus inter pares first among the equals.

"We are equals.That is why we are here before you as one, not not as one individual but all three together," he told his first press conference, adding "all our decisions
will be taken jointly".

Gopalaswami, who exited from the Commission on Monday, had recommended removal of Chawla in an unprecedented action which was rejected by the government. Gopalaswami had contended that he had powers to make such a recommendation
under the Constitution.

Chawla was flanked by the other Election commissioners SY Qureshi and VS Sampath, who assumed office earlier this morning.

He expressed confidence that the Commission would be able deliver flawless elections as it had been able to in the past four years.