Rajiv Kumar becomes new Chief Election Commissioner, to assume charge from May 15

Senior-most Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar has been appointed the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India. Kumar will assume charge of the office from May 15.

As per an announcement made by the Law Ministry, President Ram Nath Kovind has approved Kumar's elevation as the CEC and he is set to take charge of the post upon demitting of the office by Sushil Chandra as the Chief Election Commissioner on May 14.

“In pursuance of clause (2) of Article 324 of the Constitution, the President is pleased to appoint Shri Rajiv Kumar as the Chief Election Commissioner with effect from the 15th May, 2022. My best wishes to Shri Rajiv Kumar,” said Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju wrote in his Twitter handle.

A 1984 batch officer of the Indian Administrative Service in Bihar/Jharkhand cadre, Kumar superannuated from the IAS in February 2020.

He took charge as the Election Commissioner of the Election Commission of India (ECI) on September 1, 2020. Before assuming charge in the Election Commission, Kumar had a stint as the chairman of the Public Enterprises Selection Board. 

Kumar who was also a Director, Central Board of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and served in several other committees during his nearly four decades long experience working for the government, is credited to implementing many crucial mergers and acquisitions in the financial sector.