The Law Ministry is learnt to have moved the file recommending the name of Zaidi to the Prime Minister's Office, sources in the government said today.
The new appointment is likely to be notified in the next few days, the sources said.
Zaidi had retired as Civil Aviation Secretary on August 31.
The new Election Commissioner will fill the post vacated by V S Sampath who was recently elevated as the Chief Election Commissioner following the retirement of S Y Quraishi.
H S Brahma is the other Election Commissioner.