Sunil Arora takes charge as Chief Election Commissioner of India

Sunil Arora, 62, on Sunday took charge as Chief Election Commissioner of India, according to news agency ANI. He succeeds OP Rawat, who demitted office on Saturday. On Monday, President Ram Nath Kovind appointed Sunil Arora as the CEC.

Delhi: Sunil Arora takes charge as the new Chief Election Commissioner of India pic.twitter.com/7ruBbg5MN5

— ANI (@ANI) December 2, 2018

The Chief Election Commissioner of the Election Commission holds office for a tenure of six years or till the age of 65 years. A 1980-batch IAS officer of the Rajasthan cadre, Sunil Arora is now the senior-most officer in the election body. 

ALSO READ | Sunil Arora appointed Chief Election Commissioner by President Kovind, to take charge on December 2

Sunil Arora: Five things about the new chief election commissioner

1. Sunil Arora had been the information and broadcasting secretary, and the secretary in the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
2. Sunil Arora has worked in ministries and departments such as Finance, Textiles and Planning Commission. 
3. He has also served as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Civil Aviation during 1999-2002 and CMD, Indian Airlines for five years (two years as additional charge and three years as full charge).
4. In Rajasthan, besides district postings in Dholpur, Alwar, Nagaur and Jodhpur, he was Secretary to the Chief Minister during 1993-1998 and Principal Secretary to CM (2005- 2008) and handled the Information and Public Relations (IPR), the Industries and the Investment departments.
5. Arora's father is a retired accounts officer of the Indian Railways, while his mother worked in DAV College, Hoshiarpur.