Achal Kumar Joti retires as Chief Election Commissioner

NEW DELHI: Achal Kumar Joti today demitted the office of the Chief Election Commissioner after heading the poll body for six months.

He came under attack from the opposition at least twice in his short tenure at the helm of affairs at the poll panel.

The Commission's decision to to delay the Gujarat polls to allow local authorities carry out relief work in the aftermath of floods came under attack from the opposition which alleged it was done to help the ruling BJP.


On Friday, just days before his term ended, the poll panel opined to the President to disqualify 20 Delhi AAP MLAs for holding posts of parliamentary secretaries, which EC said was office of profit which a lawmaker should not hold.

Officials who worked under him since he joined the EC in 2015 say he is particular about details and is behind several decisions to fast-track clearances required by political parties for electioneering.

A former IAS of the Gujarat cadre, he maintained a low- profile in the poll body.