NEW DELH: Rajiv Kumar formally took over as the 25th Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India at Nirvachan Sadan in Delhi on Sunday.
Election commissioner Kumar was appointed to the post on Thursday, replacing Sushil Chandra who demitted office on May 14.
“The President is pleased to appoint Shri Rajiv Kumar, the senior-most Election Commissioner, as the Chief Election Commissioner in the Election Commission of India. Shri Rajiv Kumar will assume the charge of office of the Chief Election Commissioner with effect from the 15th May, 2022 vice Shri Sushil Chandra consequent upon his demitting the Office of the Chief Election Commissioner on the 14th May, 2022,” said a notification.
Kumar, born in 1960, is expected to demit office in February, 2025. He will be overseeing the presidential and the vice presidential elections, the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and several assembly polls.
A 1984-batch Indian Administrative Service officer of the Bihar/Jharkhand cadre, Kumar superannuated from service in February 2020. He was the chairperson of the Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) when he was appointed an election commissioner, a post that became vacant on September 1, 2020, following the resignation of then election commissioner Ashok Lavasa.
Kumar has also been the director, Central Board of Reserve Bank of India (RBI), SBI, NABARD; member, Economic Intelligence Council (EIC); member, Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC); member, Bank Board Bureau (BBB); member, Financial Sector Regulatory Appointments Search Committee (FSRASC), and Civil Services Board among many others.
