New Delhi: Om Prakash Rawat was on Sunday appointed the next chief election commissioner, the Union law ministry said, a day before the present incumbent Achal Kumar Joti demits charge.
Former finance secretary Ashok Lavasa was also appointed as an election commissioner to fill up the vacancy that would have arisen in the three-member Election Commission after Joti’s retirement on Monday.
Sunil Arora is the other commissioner in the poll body. Rawat will take over as the CEC on January 23, a law ministry notification said.
His tenure will end in December this year and Arora, the senior most commissioner after the CEC, is expected to take over as the head of the poll panel.
An EC or CEC has a tenure of six years. But if he turns 65 before that, he demits office.
Born on December 2, 1953, Rawat is a former Madhya Pradesh cadre IAS officer. His appointment will come into effect from the day he assumes office, a law ministry statement said here.
Rawat also served as secretary, department of public enterprises in the ministry of heavy industries.
