Former Finance Secretary Rajiv Kumar appointed Election Commissioner after Ashok Lavasa resigns

Former Finance Secretary Rajiv Kumar was on Friday appointed as Election Commissioner in place of Ashok Lavasa who resigned join the Philippines-based Asian Development Bank (ADB) as vice-president. 

President Ram Nath Kovind cleared his appointment with effect from the date he assumes office. His appointment is in place of Lavasa who resigned with effect from August 31.

"In pursuance of clause (2) of article 324 of the Constitution, the president is pleased to appoint Shri Rajiv Kumar, (IAS retired) as the election commissioner with effect from the date he assumes the office vice Shri Ashok Lavasa, election commissioner who has resigned with effect August 31," an official notification of the Ministry of Law and Justice said.

Rajiv Kumar, an IAS officer of 1984 batch of Jharkhand cadre, retired as Finance Secretary in February this year. He was then appointed as the chairperson of the Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB). 

Earlier, Lavasa, who was next in line to head the poll panel, resigned to join the ADB as vice-president. ADB had in July announced that it has appointed Lavasa as vice-president for private sector operations and public-private partnerships. Lavasa will succeed Diwakar Gupta, whose term will end on August 31. 

His resignation has put his colleague Sushil Chandra next in the line of succession to become CEC after the term of incumbent Sunil Arora ends. 

Lavasa would have retired as the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) in October 2022. Lavasa, a career bureaucrat, was appointed Election Commissioner in January 2018. The 1980 batch IAS officer of Haryana cadre also served as Finance Secretary.