New Delhi: The Election Commission of India has a new Deputy Election Commissioner, with the Centre appointing senior IAS officer Prakash Rajpurohit to the position as part of a wider reshuffle of senior government officials.
Rajpurohit belongs to the 2010 batch of the Indian Administrative Service and is from the Rajasthan cadre. According to reports citing an order issued by the Personnel Ministry, he will serve in the post until April 8, 2030. He replaces Sanjay Kumar, who was repatriated to his parent cadre earlier this year.
Before this appointment, Rajpurohit was serving as Joint Secretary in the Department of Defence Production under the Ministry of Defence. His previous assignments include working as a Director in the Department of Economic Affairs, where he handled matters related to international investment treaties. He has also held administrative responsibilities in Rajasthan, including positions connected with district administration and commercial taxation.
The appointment was part of a broader exercise in which the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved 27 appointments at Joint Secretary level or equivalent positions across government departments and institutions. The reshuffle also included appointments in areas such as health administration and public examinations.
Rajpurohit's arrival comes at a significant time for the Election Commission, particularly as questions surrounding the management of electoral rolls and the Commission's information technology systems have attracted attention. Sanjay Kumar had previously overseen the electoral roll and IT divisions. The allocation of these responsibilities under the new Deputy Election Commissioner will therefore be closely watched.
The Election Commission of India is responsible for overseeing electoral rolls and conducting elections to Parliament, state legislatures, and the offices of the President and Vice-President. The new appointment adds another senior administrator to the institution responsible for managing India's electoral process.
