VS Sampath becomes 18th Chief Election Commissioner of Ind

New Delhi, Jun 11: Veeravalli Sundaram Sampath has been named the 18th Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India. SY Quraishi, former CEC will end his six-year tenure when Sampath assumes his new high profile role. The 1973 batch IAS officer, 62-year-old Sampath has been heading various roles as a bureaucrat. He was the Power Secretary at the Centre before he was appointed Election Commissioner in Apr, 2009.

After taking over the new role, Sampath has been quoted as saying, "The commission will strive for early implementation of electoral reforms that put an end to criminalisation and money power in elections which disturbs level playing field." He also stressed on the need to have a clean electoral role and hassle free registration.

Getting straight to business, he said that the Election Commission was busy preparing for the upcoming assembly elections in Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Tripura and Meghalaya. He also said an announcement on the presidential polls will soon be made.

Born on Jan 16, 1950, Sampath will adorn the top post till Jan 2015. As per constitutional rules, an EC or the CEC can remain in office either for a six-year term or till 65 years, whichever is earlier.

OneIndia News