Former Finance Secretary Rajiv Kumar on May 15 assumed charge as Chief Election Commissioner (CEC). He succeeded Sushil Chandra who retired on May 14.
Mr. Kumar, who had been an Election Commissioner since September 1, 2020, would likely oversee the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as his term is until 2025.
A retired IAS officer of the 1984 batch, Mr. Kumar held the post of chairman of the Public Services Enterprises Selection Board before being named as the EC. He had retired from the IAS in February 2020 as the Union Finance Secretary.
The Election Commission of India
The Election Commission of India is a constitutional body under the ownership of Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India. It was established by the Constitution of India to conduct and regulate elections in the country. It was formed on 25 January 1950 and is headquartered at New Delhi.
The body administers elections to the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, State Legislative Assemblies, State Legislative Councils and the offices of the President and Vice President of the country.
The Election Commission operates under the authority of Constitution per Article 324 and subsequently enacted Representation of the People Act 1951.