Rajiv Kumar, India's next CEC: 8 points to know about him

CHENNAI: Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar was on Thursday appointed as the next Chief Election Commissioner.

He will assume charge on May 15 after incumbent Sushil Chandra demits office on May 14, a notification issued by the Law Ministry said.

What do we know about him?

* Born on 19 February 1960 and acquiring academic degrees of B.SC, LL.B, PGDM and MA Public Policy, Rajiv Kumar has worked in various Ministries at the Centre and State cadre across Social Sector, Environment & Forests, Human Resources, Finance and Banking sector.

* He brings with him vast experience of more than 36 years of Government of India service and took charge as Election Commissioner in ECI on 1 September 2020

* Prior to assuming charge in Election Commission, he was working as the Chairman, Public Enterprises Selection Board since April 2020.

* Rajiv Kumar has been Director, Central Board of Reserve Bank of India (RBI), SBI, NABARD; Member, Economic Intelligence Council (EIC); Member, Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC); Member, Bank Board Bureau (BBB); Member, Financial Sector Regulatory Appointments Search Committee (FSRASC), Civil services Board among many other such Boards and Committees.

* As a starting point to curb circulation of black money, he had frozen bank accounts of ~3.38 lakh shell companies used for creating fictitious equity.

*He also planned and implemented an unprecedented re-capitalization programme for PSBs amounting to Rs. 2.11 lakh crore to support capital adequacy of PSBs and prevent default.

* He was also member of the Task force for restructuring of NITI Aayog.

* He is a keen trekker and has crossed number of passes across Himalayas in Ladakh, Himachal, Uttrakhand, Sikkim, Tibet and also in Sahyadri, Western Ghats, Palghat, etc.