On 21st January 2018, the Union Law Ministry announced the appointment of Om Prakash Rawat as the new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India. He would succeed Achal Kumar Joti who would attain superannuation (retirement) the next day. Rawat’s shoes in the 3-member Election Commission would be filled by erstwhile Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa. The third member and the next in line of succession is Sunil Arora.
Key Points in the appointment of Om Prakash Rawat:
- Rawat’s term as Chief Election Commission would last about eleven months as he turns 65 years in December 2018.
- As CEC, Rawat would oversee the upcoming state elections in Northeast India. Tripura, Meghalaya, and Nagaland go to poll in February 2018.
On 21st January 2018, the Union Law Ministry announced the appointment of Om Prakash Rawat as the new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India.
- He would also supervise critical state elections in Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh in the latter part of 2018.
- Sunil Arora would take over from December 2018, and his term would last until April 2021. He would be the CEC during Lok Sabha Elections of 2019.
Facts related to Om Prakash Rawat:
- He is a 1977 Batch IAS Officer and his cadre was Madhya Pradesh. He retired in 2013. He held the position of Secretary of the Department of Public Enterprises in the Ministry of Heavy Industries at retirement time.
- He was appointed as Election Commissioner in August 2015.
- He has held the designation of Principal Secretary to former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Babu Lal Gaur from 2004-06.
- He received the Prime Minister’s Award for excellence in Public Administration. It was for his inventive group initiative “Recognition of Forest Rights.”
Facts about Election Commission of India:
- It is a constitutional body established through the Article 324 of Indian Constitution. It is a permanent body.
- Its mandate is to superintend, direct and control election to Parliament, State legislature, the office of President and Vice President.
The President makes the appointment to the Election Commission.
- It was a single member body till 1989 when the President increased the number of Election Commissioners to 3.
- It was because of the increase in workload due to the lowering of voting age from 21 to 18 through the 61st
- They hold office for a term of 6 years or 65 years of age, whichever is earlier.