Harishankar Brahma would be the new chief election commissioner of India an official release said Thursday.
Brahma, the second from the northeast to hold the post after J.M.Lyngdoh (2001-04), will assume office Friday (Jan 16) as incumbent V.S Sampath retires Thursday.
The appointment of Brahma, the senior-most member of the Election Commission, was made by President Pranab Mukherjee, the release said. There is a convention of appointing the senior-most among the three commissioners as the chief election commissioner.
A 1975 Indian Administrative Service officer of Andhra Pradesh cadre, 60-year-old Brahma, who hails from Assam, is a former union power secretary.
He assumed charge as an election commissioner Aug 25, 2010.