Published 23:10 IST, August 21st 2020
Ex-Finance secy Rajiv Kumar appointed as new Election commissioner ahead of Bihar polls
In a significant move ahead of the Bihar state polls, President Ram Nath Kovind appointed retd. IAS officer Rajiv Kumar as the Election Commissioner on Friday.
In a significant move ahead of the Bihar state polls, President Ram Nath Kovind appointed retd. IAS officer Rajiv Kumar as the Election Commissioner on Friday. Kumar - former finance secretary will take charge from Ashok Lavasa who has resigned with effect from 31 August 2020. Lavasa is expected to move to Manila to join as a vice-president of the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
Rajiv Kumar appointed Election Commissioner
About Rajiv Kumar
Rajiv Kumar- a 1984-batch IAS officer from Jharkhand cadre previously held the office as the secretary of finance and financial services in the second Modi cabinet. He succeeded Subhash Chandra Garg who was transferred to the ministry of power in a major bureaucratic reshuffle on 24 July 2019. The 60-year-old IAS officer has BSc and LLB degrees and a masters in public policy and sustainability.
He took over as the financial services secretary in September 2017 and initiated several of reforms in the banking sector such as major PSU bank mergers - Bank of Baroda’s merger with Dena Bank and Vijaya Bank. He also played a key role in PM Modi's schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, Mudra loan scheme and the MSME loan scheme to boost credit access and job creation. Kumar has also been a part of the budget-making exercise thrice and is on the board of the RBI and the govt-owned State Bank of India (SBI).
Lavasa resigns from EC
Lavasa, who was poised to take over from Sunil Arora as Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), resigned as Election commissioner on August 18. Lavasa’s term in the EC would have ended in October 2022 had he become CEC. President Kovind accepted Lavasa's resignation the next day, allowing Lavasa to join the Philippines-based ADB after August 31, 2020.
ECI's Guidelines for elections amid COVID
Earlier in the day, the Election Commission of India (ECI) released detailed guidelines for polling amid the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Limiting 1000 electors per booth, ECI has outlined specific guidelines for polling stations, postal ballots, poll campaigns, and counting of votes. It has also extended the postal ballot option to voters with disabilities, above 80 years, employed in essential services, voters who are COVID- 19 positive/suspect and in quarantine (home/ institutional).
Updated 23:10 IST, August 21st 2020