New Delhi: Senior IAS officer Rajiv Mehrishi was today appointed as the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), after stepping down as Home Secretary on Thursday. The current CAG Shashi Kant Sharma was appointed by the UPA government in may 2013.
Earlier, there was speculation that Mehrishi, a 1978-batch Rajasthan cadre IAS officer, could be the next Jammu and Kashmir governor.
Mehrishi has held several key posts in his career. He has served as the Chief Secretary of Rajasthan, Principal Finance Secretary, Chairman of Indira Gandhi Nahar Board and District Magistrate and Collector of Bikaner under Rajasthan Government. He has also served as the Union Finance Secretary, Secretary (Fertilizers), and Secretary (Overseas Indian Affairs).
Sunil Arora appointed Election Commissioner
Besides Mehrishi's appointment, the government has appointed former bureaucrat Sunil Arora as Election Commissioner. After Nasim Zaidi retired as Chief Election Commissioner in July, there was a vacancy in the poll panel. While Achal Kumar Joti is the CEC, Om Prakash Rawat is the other Election Commissioner.
Arora's appointment will be with effect from the day he assumes charge, the law ministry notification said.
Arora (61) had been the Information and Broadcasting Secretary, and Secretary in the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
A 1980 batch IAS officer of the Rajasthan cadre, Arora has worked in ministries and departments such as Finance, Textiles and Planning Commission.
He also served as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Civil Aviation during 1999-2002 and CMD, Indian Airlines for five years (two years as additional charge and three years as full charge).
In Rajasthan, besides district postings in Dholpur, Alwar, Nagaur and Jodhpur, he was Secretary to the Chief Minister during 1993-1998 and Principal Secretary to CM (2005- 2008) and handled Information and Public Relations (IPR), Industries and Investment Departments.
(With PTI inputs)
