Former CEC who enabled third gender to cast votes as 'Other'

New Delhi, Feb. 2 -- 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 exerci...