VS Sampath named new Election Commissioner

New Delhi: Power Secretary VS Sampath will be the new Election Commissioner, official sources said on Wednesday.

Sampath is tipped to take charge on April 20, the day Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami retires, paving way for Election Commissioner Navin Chawla to take up the top job.

The 1973 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer whose name was put forward almost a week back, Sampath has held several senior positions in the government, a senior official told IANS.

Sampath has worked in the ministries of agriculture, energy and finance. In January this year, he took charge as power secretary. Before that, he was secretary in the department of chemicals and fertilizers.