New Delhi: The ECI appointed Ashok Kumar, a 2006 batch IAS officer, as the new Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi in place of R Alice Vaz, an official said on Monday.
Principal Secretary, ECI, Rahul Sharma, informed Delhi Chief Secretary Rajeev Varma about Ashok Kumar’s appointment in an official letter on Monday.
In January, the poll panel asked the Delhi government to furnish a panel of three IAS officers to select the CEO. Ashok Kumar was one of the three officers whose names were sent to the ECI by the Rekha Gupta government.
The ECI’s latest letter to the Chief Secretary said that “Ashok Kumar shall cease to hold and hand over forthwith the charge of all or any charges of work under the Govt. of N.C.T. of Delhi, which he may be holding before such assumption of office.”
The ECI clarified that Ashok Kumar, while functioning as the Chief Electoral Officer, shall not hold any additional charge whatsoever under the Government of N.C.T. of Delhi, except that he should be designated Secretary to the Government in charge of the Election Department in the State Secretariat.
A notification issued by the ECI secretariat confirming Ashok Kumar’s appointment said, “In exercise of the powers conferred by subsection (1) of section 13A of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 (43 of 1950), the Election Commission of India in consultation with the Government of NCТ of Delhi hereby designates Shri Ashok Kumar, IAS (AGMUT: 2006) as the Chief Electoral Officer for the N.C.T. of Delhi with effect from the date he takes over charge and until further orders in place of R Alice Vaz, IAS.”
The ECI also asked the Chief Secretary to re-publish the notification in the Delhi Gazette.
The Delhi government was also asked to ensure that Ashok Kumar assumes the charge of the office of the CEО, NCT of Delhi, immediately.
(IANS)
