1977 batch retired IAS OP Rawat is new Chief Election Commissioner; ex-finance secretary Ashok Lavasa is made EC; 10 Things to Know

IN TWO major appointments announced on Sunday evening, 1977 batch Madhya Pradesh cadre retired IAS and current Election Commissioner Om Prakash Rawat was appointed as Chief Election Commissioner of India while another retired IAS — Ashok Lavasa who till October last year was the union finance secretary, was made Election Commissioner. Lavasa’s batchmate (1980 batch retired IAS) Sunil Arora is already an Election Commissioner. Here are the 10 things you may like to know about Rawat and Lavasa:

Do you know India’s new finance secretary Ashok Lavasa is also an avid photographer?

A photo exhibition by Ashok and Novel Lavasa (File photo)

DO YOU know, India’s new finance secretary and 1980 batch Haryana cadre IAS Ashok Lavasa is an avid photographer? On Tuesday, the government designated Lavasa as finance secretary, following the convention of designating the senior-most of the five secretaries in the ministry of finance as the finance secretary. Lavasa, holding the post of secretary, expenditure, is ranked higher than his batch mate of Tamil Nadu cadre…

Secretary Reshuffle: New Information and Broadcasting, environment and expenditure secretaries named

IN A major secretary level reshuffle at the Centre, the government on Tuesday announced appointment of Himachal Pradesh cadre IAS Ajay Mittal as new secretary in the ministry of information and broadcasting and shifting of environment secretary Ashok Lavasa as secretary in the department of expenditure under the ministry of finance. More than new appointments, the Tuesday’s reshuffle was more of swapping of secretaries and their transfer from one ministry to another. Here are 14 such secretary-level appointments: