Brahma is new Election Commissioner

New Delhi: Former bureaucrat Harishankar Brahma has been appointed as the new Election Commissioner.

His appointment comes after the elevation of S.Y. Quraishi as the commission's head. Brahma (60) is a1975 batch IAS officer from Andhra Pradesh cadre.

Brahma, who is a former Union power secretary, hails from Assam.

"The President is pleased to appoint Harishankar Brahma as the Election Commissioner in the Election Commission of India with effect from the date he assumes the office," stated a notification issued by the law ministry.

It is understood that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was keen to appoint 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 the Chief Election Commissioner in 2004, to become the Election Commissioner.

V.S. Sampath is the other Election Commissioner.

With inputs from PTI