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{{EngvarB|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}
{{BLP sources|date=November 2012}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = N. Gopalaswami
|image = File:The Chief Election Commissioner, Shri N. Gopalaswami announcing the schedule for the Lok Sabha polls, at a Press Conference, in New Delhi on March 02, 2009 (cropped).jpg
| caption = N. Gopalaswami taking over as the Election Commissioner in New Delhi on February 08, 2004
|office = 15th [[Chief Election Commissioner of India]]
|president = [[Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam]] <br> [[Pratibha Patil]]
|primeminister = [[Manmohan Singh]]
|term_start = 30 June 2006
|term_end = 20 April 2009
|predecessor = [[B. B. Tandon|B.B.Tandon]]
|successor = [[Navin Chawla]]
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1944|4|21}}
|occupation = Election Commissioner (2004-06); Chief Election Commissioner (2006-09); Chairman of [[Kalakshetra Foundation]] (2014-19)
|nationality = [[India|Indian]]
}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|office =President of [[Vivekananda Educational Society]]
Chairman of [[Kalakshetra]]
}}
'''N. Gopalaswami''' (born 21 April 1944), served as 15th [[Chief Election Commissioner of India]] (CEC) who has been awarded the [[Padma Bhushan]] in 2015. He is a 1966 batch [[Indian Administrative Services]] officer belonging to Gujarat cadre. He took over the charge of CEC on 30 June 2006 and retired in April 2009. He is currently the president of [[Vivekananda Educational Society]] which runs a group of schools in and around Chennai.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vesonline.org/about.aspx|title=About us - Vivekananda Educational Society}}</ref> He was appointed as the Chairman of [[Kalakshetra]] for a term of five years starting from 22 October 2014, until 2019.<ref>{{Cite news|title = Ex-CEC Gopalaswami new chairman of Kalakshetra Foundation|url = http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/kalakshetra-gets-a-new-chairman/article6527037.ece|newspaper = The Hindu|date = 22 October 2014|access-date = 2015-05-26|issn = 0971-751X|language = en}}</ref>

==Early life and education==
Gopalaswami hails from [[Needamangalam]], [[Tiruvarur district]], Tamil Nadu. He did his schooling in [[Mannargudi]] and his graduation in [[Chemistry]] from [[St. Joseph's College, Tiruchirappalli]]. Gopalaswamy is a post-graduate gold medalist in Chemistry from [[Delhi University]] and is a diploma holder in Urban Development Planning from [[University of London]].

==Early career==
Gopalaswami joined the [[Indian Administrative Service]] in 1966 and worked in various capacities in [[Gujarat]]. During 1967 to 1992, he held various top level posts including that of the managing director, Gujarat Communication and Electronics Limited; as member (administration and purchase) in the Gujarat Electricity Board; secretary to Government (science & technology) in technical education and Secretary, Department of Revenue.

Earlier he was district magistrate in the districts of [[Kutch]] and [[Kheda]]; municipal commissioner [[Surat]]; director of relief; director of higher education and joint secretary (Home Department), Government of Gujarat.

==As a bureaucrat==

Gopalaswami served the [[Government of India]] between 1992 and 2004. Prior to his appointment in the [[Election Commission of India]], he was the [[Union Home Secretary (India)|Union Home Secretary]] and prior to that, he held the posts of Secretary in the Department of Culture and Secretary General in the [[National Human Rights Commission]].

Gopalaswami had also worked as adviser (education) in the [[Planning Commission of India]], joint secretary, department of electronics, in charge of software development and industry promotion division and also the head of [[Software Technology Park of India]] (STPI) Society and SATCOMM India Society.

Gopalaswami was appointed as a Chancellor for Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, Deemed University, [[Tirupati]] on 21 October 2015 for a term of five years.

==Controversy==
During his tenure as the [[Chief Election Commissioner of India|Chief Election Commissioner]] N Gopalaswami on 31 January 2009 sent his recommendation for removal of Election Commissioner [[Navin Chawla]] to the [[President of India]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://abclive.in/abclive_investigative_news/navin_chawla_congress_n_gopalaswami_election_commission_india.html |title=Connecting News with Views|access-date=2 February 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090207161419/http://abclive.in/abclive_investigative_news/navin_chawla_congress_n_gopalaswami_election_commission_india.html |archive-date=7 February 2009 }}</ref> He alleged that Chawla had discharged his duties as Election Commissioner in a partisan manner, seeking to further the interests of "one party." The CEC report contended that Chawla would take breaks during crucial meetings and secretly talk to functionaries of the Congress party and leak confidential details of the Election Commission.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/2009/feb/02chawlas-loo-breaks-led-to-congress-phone-calls-cec.htm |title=Chawla's loo breaks led to Cong phone calls: CEC |publisher=Rediff.com |access-date=17 November 2012}}</ref> Chawla is also reported to have opposed the Election Commission's notice to [[Sonia Gandhi]] for her accepting foreign honours from Belgium.<ref>{{cite news|author=Bharti Jain, ET Bureau 1 February 2009, 01.25am IST |url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Features/The_Sunday_ET/Dateline_India/CEC_accuses_Chawla_of_siding_with_one_party/articleshow/4058280.cms |title=CEC accuses Chawla of siding with one party – Economic Times |publisher=Economictimes.indiatimes.com |date= 1 February 2009|access-date=17 November 2012}}</ref>

N Gopalaswami's recommendation against Chawla has been politically controversial.<ref>[http://www.asianage.com/presentation/leftnavigation/opinion/op-ed/don%E2%80%99t-damage-ec-credibility.aspx] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080402033750/http://www.asianage.com/presentation/leftnavigation/opinion/op-ed/don%E2%80%99t-damage-ec-credibility.aspx |date=2 April 2008 }}</ref> However, the Indian government led by Congress Party (to which Chawla is accused of being favourable), rejected the CEC recommendation against Chawla on 1 March 2009.<ref>[http://abclive.in/abclive_national/navin_chawla_chief_election_commissioner_recommendation.html ]{{dead link|date=November 2012}}</ref> Thereafter, Navin Chawla took over as CEC of India on 20 April 2009 and concluded the [[2009 Indian general election|2009 General Elections]] to the [[Parliament of India]].

N Gopalaswami moved to [[Supreme Court of India|Supreme Court]] in April 2012 alleging a "communal conspiracy" behind the rejection of Army chief General [[VK Singh]]'s claim for revision of his date of birth. The PIL, filed by retired Navy chief [[L Ramdas]], former chief election commissioner N Gopalaswami, three senior former Army officials and others, said that ex-Army chief JJ Singh, currently the governor of Arunachal Pradesh, masterminded "Operation Moses" to clear the way for Lieutenant Gen Bikram Singh to succeed Gen [[Vijay Kumar Singh]] <sup>(missing reference, likely an incorrect conspiracy theory)</sup>.

==Personal life==
Gopalaswami is noted for his professionalism and sticking to principles and rules. He is a [[Vaishnavism|Vaishnavaite]] with a keen interest in [[astrology]]. When the Election Commission started the process of delimitations of constituencies, he (as CEC) suggested that [[Google maps]] be used for the arduous exercise. Gopalaswami played a key role in obtaining a grant of Rs 5 crore (Rs 50 million) from [[UNESCO]] for the preservation of [[Vedas]], the ancient [[Hindu]] scriptures.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/2009/feb/04-he-lives-by-the-give-nothing-take-nothing-principle.htm |title=He lives by the give-nothing-take-nothing rule |publisher=Rediff.com |date=31 December 2004 |access-date=17 November 2012}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|N. Gopalaswami}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160303231949/http://www.indian-elections.com/chief-election-commissioner.html Chief Election Commissioner of India]
* [http://www.rediff.com/news/2009/feb/04-he-lives-by-the-give-nothing-take-nothing-principle.htm He lives by the give-nothing-take-nothing principle]
* [http://www.expressindia.com/news/fullstory.php?newsid=70229 New article dated 30 June 2006]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090202080247/http://hindu.com/2009/01/31/stories/2009013160550100.htm The Hindu – Saturday, 31 January 2009 - Chief Election Commissioner Gopalaswami ‘recommends’ removal of Navin Chawla-Suo motu act is constitutionally and democratically out of line, will damage institution - N.Ram]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090217043144/http://www.hindu.com/2009/02/12/stories/2009021254531100.htm N Gopalaswami's response to N. Ram and more  Thursday, 12 February 2009]
* [http://www.poduniversal.com/2009/04/gopalaswami-former-chief-election.html Exclusive podcast interview on his values, post retirement plans, etc]

{{Chief Election Commissioners of India}}
{{PadmaBhushanAwardRecipients 2010–19}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gopalaswami, N.}}
[[Category:Chief Election Commissioners of India]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:St Joseph's College, Tiruchirappalli alumni]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in civil service]]
[[Category:Indian Administrative Service officers]]
[[Category:Indian Home Secretaries]]
[[Category:University of Delhi alumni]]
[[Category:Alumni of the University of London]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:People from Tiruvarur district]]

N. Gopalaswami - Revision history

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