The political corridors are rife with news that the next Chief Election Commissioner is slated to be a woman and that Sudha Pillai stands a good chance to take that post. She’s is from a Punjabi Khanna family in Chandigarh and since her husband is Pillai, she is also getting the support of the strong Malyali lobby. Her image is that of an honest bureaucrat and is presently the member secretary of the Planning Commission. But there are two more names posing competition of sorts to Pillai – Sushma Nath and Nirupama Rao. The one thing that could go against Nirupama is that she’s addicted to being printed and being seen, something that doesn’t go down well with the government.