Retired bureaucrat I. Rani Kumudini is new State Election Commissioner

Rani Kumudini appointed as State Election Commissioner, bringing extensive experience in various government roles.

Retired bureaucrat I Rani Kumudini has been appointed as the State Election Commissioner.

The appointment follows the consent of Governor Jishnudev Varma and she will be the State Election Commissioner for three years from the date of assumption of charge. Ms. Rani Kumudini who was Special Chief Secretary of Labour Employment, Training department will succeed C. Partha Sarathi.

The appointment assumes significance as the rural local bodies are under the special officer rule as the term of the existing local bodies expired few months ago. The government appointed special officers as in-charges for local bodies as it had resolved to conduct caste census, enumeration of backward classes in particular, for finalising reservation of the local bodies before holding elections to them.

The newly appointed State Election Commissioner served as secretary of the election body in the past and has thorough knowledge about the functioning of the rural and urban local bodies. The 1988 batch IAS officer, daughter of veteran IPS officer I. Pullanna, served the State government in various capacities. She worked as joint collector of the erstwhile united Rangareddy district and became the Collector subsequently. She was Secretary Social Welfare Residential Schools, Finance department Deputy Secretary besides serving as Managing Director of the Housing Corporation.

She worked as Commissioner of Labour department and Horticulture and held portfolios of Joint Secretary in Ministry of Agriculture and Chief Executive of National Fisheries Development Board at the Centre.