Pranabjyoti Nath Appointed as Kerala's New Chief Electoral Officer

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has appointed IAS officer Pranabjyoti Nath, a 2005 batch officer, as the new Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Kerala.

In a directive issued to Chief Secretary Sarada Muraleedharan on Thursday, the commission instructed the state government to ensure that Nath assumes his role immediately and to submit a compliance report within a week.

Nath's appointment comes after a careful selection process that involved a list of three candidates submitted to the ECI on Monday. This selection followed the rejection of two previous lists proposed by the Kerala government. The position of CEO had been vacant since August 30, creating an urgent need for leadership within the state's election machinery.

The ECI's notification specifies that Nath must relinquish all other responsibilities he currently holds, except for his role as Secretary of the Election Department. Presently, he also serves as Secretary for Sports and Youth Affairs and Minority Welfare.

With upcoming byelections in the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency and the assembly constituencies of Palakkad and Chelakkara, the appointment of a CEO is particularly crucial. The CEO serves as the ECI's representative in the state, ensuring the smooth functioning of electoral processes. The former CEO, Sanjay M Kaul, departed for central deputation after overseeing the 2021 assembly elections and this year’s Lok Sabha elections.

Typically, when a CEO is appointed, the ECI requires them to be relieved of other state government duties to avoid conflicts of interest, particularly once the model code of conduct is enforced. In a previous instance, the Kerala government had requested that Kaul retain his additional responsibilities due to a shortage of officers at the secretary level, a request the ECI permitted until the notification for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, after which Kaul stepped down from his additional roles.

Nath's immediate focus will be to prepare the state's electoral framework ahead of the impending elections, ensuring that all processes are conducted fairly and efficiently.

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