Bhubaneswar: Retired IAS officer Madhusudan Padhi on Friday assumed charge as the State Election Commissioner (SEC) of Odisha from Aditya Prasad Padhi.
The term of the current State Election Commissioner Aditya Prasad Padhi ended in August 2024 and he continued in the position as the state government delayed in appointing a new commissioner.
After assuming charge, Madhusudan Padhi said, “The state government has entrusted me with a major responsibility. I will try to conduct the forthcoming municipal and panchayat elections smoothly and impartially.”
“Conducting orderly and impartial elections will be a big challenge. I have assumed many important responsibilities in the past, so previous experience will help in conducting elections. Attracting new voters for the elections will be a big challenge. Necessary by-elections will be organised to fill the vacant posts of Sarpanch Samiti members in various places,” he added.