Search for new CEO on as E K Majhi gets deputation

Thiruvananthapuram: Chief electoral officer (CEO) E. K. Majhi, serving in the post since 2015, is going on central deputation. According to sources, Mr. Majhi has been posted as the joint secretary in the food and public distribution department at the centre. He will be relieved as CEO on March 31. Joint chief electoral officer Remesh Chandran Nair would be holding charge until a new CEO is posted.

With hardly one year left for the next Parliament elections, the posting of the next CEO would be very crucial. The Election Commission of India will be finalising the CEO from a panel of IAS officers to be recommended by the state government.

According to sources, the state government had initially recommended a panel of three conferred IAS officers. However, the Election Commission rejected it as they preferred IAS officers who are not conferred. Subsequently, the state government was learnt to have finalised three directly recruited IAS officers, including a woman and another officer now serving outside the state, said sources.