Harishankar Brahma, a retired senior bureaucrat hailing from Assam, assumed charge as Election Commissioner today.
A 1975 IAS officer of Andhra Pradesh cadre, Brahma (60), who retired as Union Power Secretary, was appointed to the post following the elevation of S Y Quraishi as the Chief Election Commissioner.
It is understood that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was keen on appointing an officer from the North East to the key post.
Brahma is the second person from the North East after J M Lyngdoh, who retired as Chief Election Commissioner in 2004, to become Election Commissioner.
V S Sampath is the other Election Commissioner.
The Chief Election Commissioner and the other two Election Commissioners have a tenure of six years, or up to the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.