Rajiv Kumar assumes charge as 25th CEC

NEW DELHI: Former finance secretary Rajiv Kumar took charge as the 25th chief election commissioner (CEC) on Sunday and the first major task before him will be to hold the President and the Vice President elections, which are due shortly.

Kumar said the Commission will follow the time-tested methods of consultations and consensus building in bringing about any reforms and will not shy away from tough decisions, according to an Election Commission (EC) statement.

The elections to the post of President and Vice President are to be held in July-august. The 2024 Lok Sabha polls and several assembly elections will also conducted under the watch of Kumar, whose tenure is till February 2025.

Kumar was part of the poll panel as an election commissioner since September 1, 2020 and was appointed the CEC on Thursday. He succeeds Sushil Chandra, who demitted office on Saturday evening.

According to the Election Commission statement, after assuming charge as CEC, Kumar said he is honoured to have been given the responsibility to lead one of the finest institutions gifted by the Indian Constitution - the institution that reinforces our democracy.

He said that a lot has been done during the last seventy years by the Election Commission to give citizens free and fair elections, ensure the purity of the electoral rolls, prevent malpractices and enhance the quality of elections.

The Commission will follow the time-tested and democratic methods of consultations and consensus building in bringing about any major reforms,” he said.

He asserted that the Election Commission will not shy away from tough decisions.