Sunil Arora appointed Chief Election Commissioner, to take over from OP Rawat on Dec 2

President Ramnath Kovind has cleared the appointment of former bureaucrat Sunil Arora as the chief election commissioner, according to persons aware of the development.

Arora, who is currently election commissioner, will take over the top job at the poll panel on December 2, when the incumbent OP Rawat demits office. Ashok Lavasa is the second election commissioner.

A former secretary in the ministry of information and broadcasting, Arora has also served as the secretary in the ministry of skill development and entrepreneurship. A 1980-batch IAS officer of the Rajasthan cadre, Arora has served stints in ministries such as finance, textiles and planning commission and served as joint secretary in the ministry of civil aviation.