Sunil Arora to be new CEC

NEW DELHI: Election Commissioner Sunil Arora is set to head the poll panel after incumbent O.P. Rawat demits office on December 1, official sources said on Monday.nnA former Rajasthan-cadre IAS officer of 1980 batch, Arora will take over as the new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) on December 2. With the general election 2019 to be conducted under his administration.nnRawat will demit office a day earlier as he turns 65. The EC is in the middle of holding Assembly elections in five states.nnArora has worked in ministries such as finance, textiles and the Planning Commission.nnHe also served as joint secretary in the Ministry of Civil Aviation during 1999-2002 and the CMD, Indian Airlines, for five years – two years as an additional charge and three years as full charge.nnIn Rajasthan, besides district postings in Dholpur, Alwar, Nagaur and Jodhpur, Arora was secretary to the chief minister during 1993-1998 and then the principal secretary to CM (2005-2008), besides handling information and public relations (IPR), industries and investment departments.nnArora retired in April 2016, following which he was appointed as an advisor to Prasar Bharti and then as director general and CEO of the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs.nn