Rajiv Kumar is new CEC; will oversee next LS polls

New Delhi: Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar was on Thursday appointed as the next chief election commissioner and will oversee the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, besides various assembly polls.

He will assume charge on May 15 after incumbent Sushil Chandra demits office on May 14, a notification issued by the law ministry said.

Uploading the notification and a press note on his Twitter handle, Law Minister Kiren Rijiju extended his best wishes to Kumar.

”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,” read the notification.

Once Chandra demits office, there will be a vacancy in the poll panel.

Born on February 19, 1960, Kumar will demit office in February 2025 when he attains the age of 65.

According to the law governing the election commissioners, an EC or a CEC can hold the office for six years or till he or she attains the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.

Besides the President and the Vice President elections due shortly, the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and several assembly polls will be held under his watch.

The states include Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh.

Kumar was the chairperson of the Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) when he was appointed an election commissioner.

He took charge as an election commissioner on September 1, 2020, after a vacancy was created following the resignation of then election commissioner Ashok Lavasa.

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