NEW DELHI, April 19 � Holding free and fair elections �at all cost� will be the aim of the Election Commission, said Nasim Zaidi, who took over as the 20th Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) today, reports PTI.
Zaidi will have a tenure up to July, 2017 when he attains the age of 65.
�Holding of free and fair elections at all costs based on error-free electoral rolls will be the aim of the Election Commission,� he said soon after assuming charge.
Zaidi said inclusiveness of all sections of society and voter- centric programmes like easy registration will be his areas of focus.
He said that while continuing with the legacy of his predecessors, he would strive to make the poll watchdog a �more vibrant and transparent organisation.�
In appointing Zaidi as the CEC, the government has carried on with the convention of elevating the senior-most EC.
Zaidi took over from Hari Shankar Brahma who demitted office yesterday.
Incidentally, he is the only one left in the three-member constitutional body as the others have retired.
The government is yet to fill up the vacancies of two Election Commissioners. The Law Ministry has already informed the Prime Minister�s Office of the vacancies and a decision on the issue is expected soon, sources in government said here.
A 1976 batch IAS officer, Zaidi has worked in the Civil Aviation Ministry for a long time.
