Harishankar Brahma named as third Election Commissioner

Harishankar Brahma

Former Union Power Secretary Harishankar Brahma was today appointed as the third Election Commissioner in the Election Commission of India.

"The President is pleased to appoint Mr Harishankar Brahma as the Election Commissioner in the Election Commission of India with effect from the date he assumes the office," an official press release said here.

Mr Brahma, 60, a 1975 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer (Andhra Pradesh cadre), belongs to Assam.

The post of an Election Commissioner had fallen vacant recently after the retirement of Mr Navin Chawla as the Chief Election Commissioner and Mr S Y Qureshi's appointment as his successor. Mr V S Sampath is the other Election Commissioner in the three-member Commission.

Incidentally, Mr Brahma had succeeded Mr Sampath as Power Secretary when the latter joined the Election Commission in May last year. He was earlier Special Secretary, National Disaster Management Authority in the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Before that, he had held various assignments in different sectors in the Government of India and the Government of Andhra Pradesh, including energy sector.

NNN