New Delhi: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has appointed 2010-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Prakash Rajpurohit as Deputy Election Commissioner (DEC) in the Election Commission of India (ECI). His appointment fills the vacancy created by the premature repatriation of Sanjay Kumar, who was serving as the Deputy Election Commissioner in charge of the electoral roll and Information Technology (IT) divisions.
According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), Rajpurohit has been appointed until April 2030. His appointment was among 27 appointments at the Joint Secretary level or equivalent approved by the ACC on Saturday.
Rajpurohit, an IAS officer of the Rajasthan cadre, has been serving as Joint Secretary in the Department of Defence Production under the Ministry of Defence since May this year.
Prakash Rajpurohit to Take Charge as Deputy Election Commissioner
Rajpurohit’s appointment comes after the position fell vacant following Sanjay Kumar’s premature repatriation to his parent cadre in August this year.
As Deputy Election Commissioner, Kumar had been responsible for the electoral roll and IT divisions of the Election Commission of India. He held the position from August 2024 until August 2026, when he was repatriated to his parent cadre and posted in the Delhi government.
Rajpurohit’s appointment until April 2030 provides for a tenure of more than three years in the key election administration role, subject to applicable service conditions.
Sanjay Kumar’s Tenure and Role in the Election Commission
During his tenure as Deputy Election Commissioner, Sanjay Kumar oversaw the ECI’s electoral roll and IT divisions. He had also signed the Election Commission’s order dated June 24, 2025, initiating the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the country.
Kumar was prematurely repatriated to his parent cadre in August 2026 and subsequently posted in the Delhi government.
His removal from the position came amid reported internal concerns regarding the functioning of the Election Commission’s IT division.
ECI IT Division Was Subject of Internal Communications
As reported by The Indian Express last month, the functioning of the Election Commission’s IT division was among the issues raised by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi in internal communications.
One of the decisions on which they had raised objections was Kumar’s removal as the Deputy Election Commissioner in charge of the IT division in July.
The reported concerns highlighted internal differences over aspects of the functioning and management of the ECI’s IT division.
Who Is Prakash Rajpurohit?
Prakash Rajpurohit is a 2010-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Rajasthan cadre who joined the service through direct recruitment after clearing the UPSC Civil Services Examination. Over more than 16 years of service, he has held 13 recorded postings across 13 locations, including key roles in finance, commercial taxes and district administration.
His previous assignments include Director in the Department of Economic Affairs in New Delhi, Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Jaipur, and District Collector and District Magistrate of Jaipur. His career has also included a central deputation. Among his recorded assignments, his tenure as District Collector and District Magistrate of Jaipur was his longest single posting, lasting two years and two months.
According to the provided career records, his postings have averaged approximately one year and two months each. His recorded educational qualification begins with “Elec…”, but the available information does not specify the complete qualification.
ACC Approves 27 Joint Secretary-Level Appointments
Apart from Rajpurohit’s appointment, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved 26 other appointments at the Joint Secretary level or equivalent, according to the DoPT order.
Two other key appointments include:
- Vivek Khare: The 1996-batch Indian Telecom Service officer has been appointed Joint Secretary at the National Testing Agency (NTA).
- Varnali Deka: The 2009-batch IAS officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre has been appointed Joint Secretary at the National Health Authority (NHA).
The appointments form part of the ACC’s latest set of senior-level administrative postings across government departments and institutions.
About the Election Commission of India
The Election Commission of India is an autonomous constitutional authority responsible for administering elections to the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, State Legislative Assemblies, and the offices of the President and Vice-President of India. It oversees electoral processes, voter registration and electoral roll management to ensure the conduct of free and fair elections.
Read also: Who Is Devashish Sharma? Former IAS Officer Takes VRS & Wins Nagaon Lok Sabha Bypoll
