T. Venkatesh was appointed the new Chief Election Officer of Uttar Pradesh on Saturday. A 1988-batch IAS officer, Mr. Venkatesh is charged with the responsibility of conducting the crucial Assembly elections in the politically-sensitive State in early 2017.
He is replaced by Arun Singh as the new CEO of UP. A native of Vishakhapatnam, Mr. Venkatesh has held key administrative posts in UP. Before serving as the Principal Secretary (Irrigation) he was recently appointed the new Divisional Commissioner of Lucknow.
Varanasi Divisional Commissioner Nitin Ramesh Gokarna’s name was initially announced for the post but he could not assume duty. In the country’s most populous State, Mr. Venkatesh faces a challenging assignment as political stakes are high and conducting smooth elections under poor law and order circumstances and combative political parties has always been a test.
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The EC is already revising the voter lists in the State. On August 3 and 4, officials of the Election Commission of India would visit Lucknow to chalk out an action plan for the elections. Known for his clean image, Mr. Venkatesh has assured the polls would be conducted with “transparency and impartiality.”