Who Is Rajiv Kumar? Chief Election Commissioner Conducting World's Largest Election Exercise

CEC Rajiv Kumar has a keen commitment to bring transparency, check information arbitrage and protect the vulnerable sections of society through the use of technology applications and/or amendments.

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar during announcement of the schedule for General Elections 2024, in New Delhi.

Source : PTI

New Delhi: Rajiv Kumar, who assumed the position of the 25th Chief Election Commissioner on May 15, 2022, brings a wealth of administrative experience to his role. Prior to his tenure in the Election Commission, Kumar served in various significant positions, showcasing his adeptness in governance and policy matters. He served as the Chairman of the Public Enterprises Selection Board from April to August 2020, and before that, held the position of Finance Secretary of India from July 2019 to February 2020.

He also served as the Secretary of Financial Services from September 2017 to July 2019 and as the Establishment Officer from March 2015 to June 2017. Rajiv Kumar, an officer of the Indian Administrative Service of Bihar/Jharkhand cadre 1984 batch, superannuated in February 2020, as per ECI.

Apart from these roles, Rajiv has also worked in prestigious roles.

Born on February 19, 1960, Rajiv Kumar boasts an extensive academic background, holding degrees in B.Sc, LL.B, PGDM, and an MA in Public Policy and Sustainability. With over 40 years of professional experience, Kumar has garnered expertise across a spectrum of domains, having contributed to various Ministries at both the central and state levels. His rich and diverse career spans crucial sectors including the Social Sector, Environment & Forests, Human Resources, Finance, and Banking.

Rajiv Kumar Assumed The Role Of CEC EC

Since assuming the role of Chief Election Commissioner, Kumar has demonstrated exceptional leadership, notably overseeing the successful conduct of the 16th Presidential & Vice-Presidential Elections in 2022. Over the past eighteen months, under his stewardship, Legislative Assembly Elections were conducted across 11 states, encompassing Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura, Karnataka, Mizoram, Rajasthan, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh, spanning over 3 lakh polling stations.

The Election Commission of India (ECI), with Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar at the helm, also led the 'Democracy Cohort on Election Integrity'. ECI has hosted three international conferences between October 2022 and March 2023 as part of its involvement in this initiative.

Kumar has personally made efforts to address the issue of urban and youth apathy in the elections.

Rajiv Kumar's Initiatives To Bring Electoral Transparency

Kumar's dedication to fostering transparency and protecting vulnerable segments of society is evident through his strategic utilisation of technology applications and legislative amendments. Noteworthy initiatives in this pursuit include the enactment of the Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes Act, 2019, aimed at safeguarding impoverished depositors and combatting the proliferation of illicit deposit-taking schemes.

Additionally, amendments to the Banking Regulation Act were implemented to bolster the regulatory authority of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) over Multi-State Cooperative Banks, thereby mitigating risks of malpractice, as witnessed in cases such as the PMC Bank crisis.

As per ECI, he loves to spend time with his family. Apart from this, Kumar's adventurous spirit shines through his passion for trekking. He has explored numerous challenging terrains, trekking across a multitude of passes spanning the Himalayas in regions such as Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and even in Tibet. Additionally, he has ventured into the Sahyadri ranges of the Western Ghats and Palghat.