New Delhi, November 27: President Ram Nath Kovind has appointed Election Commissioner Sunil Arora as the new Chief Election Commissioner.

Arora replaced the incumbent CEC Om Prakash Rawat who will retire on December 1. Arora was appointed as election commissioner in September 2017.

“The President is pleased to appoint the senior-most Election Commissioner, Sunil Arora as the Chief Election Commissioner in the Election Commission. Arora will assume the charge of office of the Chief Election Commissioner with effect from the 2nd December, 2018 vice Om Prakash Rawat consequent upon his demitting the Office of the Chief Election Commissioner on the 1st December, 2018,” a statement issued by the ministry of law and justice said.

Arora, a 1980-batch IAS officer of the Rajasthan cadre, served as the skill development secretary before he was appointed as the top bureaucrat in the I&B Ministry.

He has also worked in ministries and departments such as Finance, Textiles and Planning Commission and was also CMD of Indian Airlines for five years.

Back in his home state, Arora was one of the most trusted officers of Vasundhara Raje during her earlier term as Rajasthan Chief Minister. He was her principal secretary from 2005 to 2008.