UNI

New Delhi, Jun 5: N Gopalaswami, Election Commissioner, is likely to be the next Chief Election Commissioner, informed sources said on Monday.

He will succeed Mr B B Tandon whose tenure ends on June 29.

Gopalasawmi will remain CEC up to February 2009.

According to sources, the government has decided to elevate Gopalasawmy on the basis of seniority.

Navin Chawla, whom the BJP has alleged has received funds from Congress MPs in a trust run by his wife, is the third member of the Election Commission.

The government has to now appoint another Election Commissioner to complete the three-member team.

Mr Gopalaswami, a former Union Home Secretary, became Election Commissioner on February 8 last year.

A Gujarat-cadre IAS officer of the 1966 batch, he served in the state in various capacities for 25 years.

Besides working as Secretary General, National Human Rights Commission, from September 1998 to July 2001, Gopalaswami served as Union culture secretary from July 2001 to October 2002.