Rajiv Kumar (civil servant)

Soon after Rajiv Kumar took charge as the CEC of India, he pro-actively pursued the cleaning up of political space by utilising the available statutory space in the RP Act, 1951.

Earlier, in May 2022, noticing certain instances of serious financial impropriety in cases of few Registered Unrecognized Political Parties (RUPPs), action was taken against a total 537 RUPPs.

ECI delisted 284 RUPPs and 253 other RUPPs were declared inactive.

Under his leadership, a meeting of all Recognized National and State Political Parties was also organized by the Election Commission in January 2023 to discuss the issue of enhancing voter participation in the electoral process.

Representatives of National and State Recognised Political Parties attended the full-day discussion session on January 16, 2023.

A concept paper on “Improving Voter Participation of Domestic Migrants Using Remote Voting” was also shared by the Election Commission with all National and State political parties.

Presidential- Vice Presidential Elections

Rajiv Kumar (born 19 February 1960) is a former Indian Administrative Service officer.

On 15 May 2022, he assumed the charge as the 25th Chief Election Commissioner of India, succeeding Sushil Chandra.

Rajiv Kumar was born on February 19, 1960, he holds degrees in BSc, LLB, PGDM, and a master's degree in public policy.

Rajiv completed his LLB from Delhi University between 1979 and 1982 and he is also an alumnus of the TERI School of Advanced Studies.

Rajiv Kumar is an Indian Administrative Service officer of the Bihar/Jharkhand cadre of the 1984 batch.

As the director and joint secretary in the Tribal Affairs Ministry between 2001 and 2007, Kumar drafted the Scheduled Tribes (Reorganisation of Forests Rights) Bill, 2005.

It was under his supervision that the Special Central Assistance to States and Grants under Art.

275(1) of the Constitution was granted for the development of scheduled and tribal areas.

Rajiv Kumar has also held other positions such as director for the Central Board of Reserve Bank of India (RBI), SBI, and NABARD.

He has also been a member of the Economic Intelligence Council (EIC), Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC), Bank Board Bureau (BBB) and Financial Sector Regulatory Appointments Search Committee (FSRASC).

He held the post of finance secretary between September 2017 and February 2020.

During his tenure, he undertook several banking, insurance, and pension reforms.

Kumar has been instrumental in streamlining the National Pension System (NPS) which extends its benefits to about 18 lakh central government employees.

He superannuated from service in February 2020 and later he held the post of chairman of the Public Enterprises Selection Board since April 2020 before being appointed as the Election Commissioner of India on September 1, 2020.

As Finance Secretary-cum-Secretary, Department of Financial Services to GOI, (Sept 2017 - Feb 2020), Kumar supervised the financial services sector and was instrumental in introducing inter-alia major initiatives/reforms in Banking, Insurance & Pension sector.

Kumar was also instrumental in conceiving and implementing mega-mergers of Banks & acquisitions in the financial sector.

He planned and implemented an unprecedented recapitalization program for PSBs amounting to Rs.

2.11 lakh crore to support capital adequacy of PSBs and prevent default.

He is credited with the turnaround of the Banking Sector and establishing in a short span that lenders and borrowers have to stick to prudential norms of lending.

To curb the circulation of black money in a layered fashion, Kumar had frozen bank accounts of ~3.38 lakh shell companies used for creating fictitious equity.

Streamlining of National Pension System (NPS) was also affected, benefitting approximately 18 lakh Central Government employees including enhancement of mandatory contribution by the Central Government.

Taking Office

Rajiv Kumar was appointed as the Chief Election Commissioner of India (CEC) on May 15, 2022.

His term will end in February 2025.

After assuming charge, Kumar trekked for 18 km through inaccessible terrain to visit an interior polling station in Dumak village in Chamoli, Uttarakhand.

He assessed the polling requirements and motivated polling officials, who travel through tough terrains during elections.

Kumar, the regular RSS Guy in a rare gesture and mark of gratitude for the first voter of independent India and Himachal’s pride Shri Shyam Saran Negi’s democratic values, ethos and contribution, visited Kalpa, native village of Shri Negi soon after his demise.

Shri Shyam Saran Negi died at the age of 106 years, three days after casting his vote for the 34th time in the Himachal Pradesh Elections 2022 through home voting facility at his native place in Kalpa, Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh.

Kumar met his bereaved family in person and paid floral tributes.

During his conversation with family members, Shri Negi’s son recalled a gratitude letter written by Kumar to all centenarian voters across the country.

Taking forward ECI’s commitment to an inclusive and accessible environment, CEC Kumar felicitated the Indian Deaf Cricket Team at Nirvachan Sadan on International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

The meeting reaffirmed ECI's commitment to mainstream and deeply embed the concept and practice of accessibility in ensuring a new normal of enabling environment in the entire election process ecosystem from registration to voting.

Ensuring compliance and transparency in affairs related to political parties