NEW DELHI: Sunil Arora, the senior-most commissioner in the poll panel, will be the new Chief Election Commissioner. He will replace the CEC OP Rawat, who retires on December 1. Arora will take the charge on December 2 and an official notification to that effect will be issued on the same date. President Ram Nath Kovind has approved Arora's appointment.

Sunil Arora, a former bureaucrat, was appointed as Election Commissioner in September last year. He had been the Information and Broadcasting Secretary, and Secretary in the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. A 1980 batch IAS officer of the Rajasthan cadre, Arora has worked in ministries and departments such as Finance, Textiles and Planning Commission.

He also served as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Civil Aviation during 1999-2002 and CMD, Indian Airlines for five years (two years as additional charge and three years as full charge).

In Rajasthan, besides district postings in Dholpur, Alwar, Nagaur and Jodhpur, he was Secretary to the Chief Minister during 1993-1998 and Principal Secretary to CM (2005- 2008) and handled Information and Public Relations (IPR), Industries and Investment Departments.