Ex-CS Shivraj Singh took over new charges

     Raipur, September 30, 2008: Shivraj Singh, a close confidant of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh, today took over charges as the Chief Election Commissioner of the state from Dr Sushil Trivedi.

     Singh, who retired as the Chief Secretary on July 31 last, is the second CEC of the state, who was appointed on that post by the Chief Minister on September 10, last.

      Singh was appointed as the next CEC as the former IAS officer Sushil Trivedi had crossed the age of 66 on September 25 last.

     The appointment rule for CEC said one can hold the post up to the age of 66 years or six years of tenure and Trivedi had joined as CEC on October 1, 2002 and five days before completing six years in office he was to retire but Singh took over charges today thus allowed Trivedi to complete his six years tenure also.

     With this yet another Chief Secretary of Chhattisgarh got rehabilitated for six years, and Singh became the fourth head of administration to get post retirement benefit cum rehabilitation by the political leadership of the state.

     The other three are Arun Kumar, Suyogya Kumar Mishra and A K Vijayvargiya.