New Delhi, Jan 23 (UNI) Madhya Pradesh Cadre IAS officer Om Prakash Rawat on Tuesday took over as the new Chief Election Commissioner of India.
He succeeds Achal Kumar Joti, a Gujarat cadre IAS officer, who remitted office on Monday.
The Election Commission’s recommendation to disqualify 20 Aam Aadmi Party MLAs in the Office of Profit case on Friday had triggered a controversy.
Mr Rawat’s will be the Chief Election Commissioner till December this year. He was appointed as Election Commissioner in August 2015.
Rajasthan cadre IAS officer Sunil Arora and former finance secretary Ashok Lavasa, who were appointed as Election Commissioners on Sunday, are the other members of the poll body.
The 1977 batch IAS officer, Mr Rawat, born in the Bundelkhand region, will be the first bureaucrat from Madhya Pradesh to become Chief Election Commissioner. Mr Rawat served as Secretary, Union Public Enterprises, and Joint Secretary, Ministry of Defence before his retirement in 2013. He has also served as Principal Secretary of former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Babu Lal Gaur.
UNI/KNA SNU 1322