Nilam Sawhney To Take Over From Nimmagadda Ramesh As New AP SEC

Retired IAS officer Nilam   Sawhney has been appointed as the next Andhra Pradesh State Election Commissioner (SEC).The state government issued a notification to this effect on Sunday. She will hold office for five years from the date of assumption of charge, Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan said in the notification in accordance with Article 243K of the Constitution of India.     

The Andhra Pradesh government on Saturday accepted the resignation of retired IAS officer Nilam Sawhney as the Principal Advisor to the Chief Minister. She will soon take over from Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar as the next State Election Commissioner of AP. Upon the advice of Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan, Sawhney tendered her resignation from her post on Friday night after Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan approved her name for appointment as the SEC.

AP Chief Secretary Aditya Nath Das issued an order on Saturday accepting Sawhney's resignation as the Principal Advisor. Earlier the AP Government had forwarded the names of three retired IAS officers to the Governor to appoint a successor to Ramesh Kumar, who retires on March 31.

Former chief secretary Nilam Sawhney, M.Samuel and L.Premchandra Reddy were the three names recommended. M Samuel oversees the implementation of the Navaratnalu scheme as vice-chairman for the said committee, while Premachandra Reddy is entrusted with responsibilities with regard to the bifurcation of the State.

After the Panchayat and Municipal Polls were completed, Nimaggadda had refused to conduct the MPTC and ZPTC polls citing that the time was not conducive, COVID vaccinations apart from his retirement in the month-end. The AP Government is now looking at completing the pending polls once the new SEC takes over.

Nilam Sawhney is an IAS officer of the 1984 batch, was appointed as the Chief Minister's Principal Advisor on January 1 following her retirement as state Chief Secretary on December 31, 2020. She was also accorded the rank of a Cabinet Minister.

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