Shri Om Prakash Rawat was appointed as the 22nd Chief Election Commissioner of India on 21 January, 2018. He will succeed incumbent Achal Kumar Jyoti to the post whose term ends on 22 January, 2018. Mr. Rawat will take charge on 23 January 2018.
Who is Om Prakash Rawat?
- Shri Rawat is a retired IAS officer of 1977 batch Madhya Pradesh cadre.
- He was appointed the Election Commissioner of India on 14 August, 2015.
- Born on December 2, 1953, Shri Om Prakash Rawat did his masters in Physics from BHU, Varanasi. He also pursued MSc in Social Development Planning from UK.
- He has served as a Principal Secretary to Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh.
- Mr. Rawat was deputed as a UN election observer in South Africa in May 1994, where post-apartheid first election was taking place.
- Mr. Om Prakash Rawat received Prime Minister’s Award on April 21, 2010, for excellence in Public Administration.
About Chief Election Commissioner of India
Appointment: Under Article 324(2) of the Constitution of India, the President of India is empowered to appoint the Chief Election Commissioner and the Election Commissioners of India.
Three member Commission: Till 15 October, 1989, Election Commission of India was a single – member body. From 16th October, 1989 upto the 1st January, 1990, EC became a three-member constitutional body with R.V.S.Peri Sastri (C.E.C) and S.S.Dhanoa and V.S.Seigell as Election Commissioners. But again from 2nd January, 1990 to 30th September, 1993, it was a single-member Commission and again from 1st October, 1993 it become a three-member Commission. Currently it is a three member constitutional body.
Tenure of CEC: The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) or an election commissioner holds office for a term of 6 years or he attains the age of 65 years from the date on which he assumes his office. The Chief Election Commissioner can be removed from office by the order of the President, just like a judge of the Supreme Court.only through impeachment by Parliament.
-Shri Sukumar Sen was the first Chief Election Commissioner of India.
About Election Commission of India: Election Commission of India is a Constitutional Body. It was established in accordance with the Constitution on 25th January 1950.
