Bengaluru: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday appointed IAS Officer Sanjiv Kumar as the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) for Karnataka.

A 1986-batch IAS officer of Karnataka cadre, Sanjiv Kumar was serving as Additional Chief Secretary of the Department of Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livlihood. He replaces Anil Kumar Jha, who had been serving as the CEO since Jan. 1, 2013. The appointment comes six months ahead of the Karnataka Assembly elections, which is likely to be held in the first week of May 2018.

A notification from the ECI dated Nov.9, also said that Sanjiv Kumar would cease to hold charge of all or any charges of work under the Government of Karnataka before assuming the new office.