Retired IAS officer to oversee elections to all rural and urban local bodies across the state
Agartala, Nov 16: The Tripura Government has appointed retired IAS officer and former Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar as the new State Election Commissioner, entrusting him with the responsibility of supervising and regulating elections to all rural and urban local bodies.
The appointment came into effect immediately following an official notification issued by Raj Bhavan on the state government’s recommendation.
According to the notification, Kumar’s appointment has been made under Section 176(1) of the Tripura Panchayats Act, 1993 and the Tripura Panchayats (Constitution of State Panchayat Election Commission) Rules, 1993.
His service conditions will be governed by Rule 4 of the 1993 Rules, including amendments notified through the Third Amendment Rules of 2006, along with relevant instructions issued by the state government in 2015.
Kumar succeeds Saradindu Chaudhury, IAS (Retd.), who assumed charge on November 14, 2023.
With Chaudhury’s term having recently concluded, the state moved quickly to fill the vacancy to ensure continuity in the functioning of the constitutional body responsible for conducting elections to village councils, panchayats, municipalities and other local bodies.
Officials familiar with the development said Kumar’s extensive administrative experience, including his tenure as Chief Secretary, is expected to aid in maintaining efficiency, transparency and preparedness in the electoral processes ahead.
His mandate includes supervising electoral roll revisions, coordinating with district administrations, issuing election notifications, monitoring adherence to the model code of conduct and ensuring free and fair polling across districts.
