Rajeshwar Singh Appointed as SEC of Rajasthan

• 20 Sep 2025

Why in News?

On 17th September 2025, Rajasthan Governor Haribhau Bagde appointed Rajeshwar Singh as the new Chief State Election Commissioner (SEC) of Rajasthan, succeeding Madhukar Gupta.

• Rajeshwar Singh, a retired IAS officer with a distinguished 35-year career, will now oversee the State Election Commission’s role in ensuring free and fair panchayat and municipal elections, leveraging his extensive experience in governance and election management.

Key Points About State Election Commission

• About: The State Election Commission (SEC) of Rajasthan was constituted in July 1994 under Article 243K of the Constitution of India. 
  • The 73rd and 74th constitutional amendments act of 1992, along with Articles 243K and 243ZA, mandate the creation of State Election Commissions (SECs) to oversee the conduct of elections for Panchayats and local urban bodies in each state and union territory.
• Responsibilities:
  • Electoral Rolls: Preparing and maintaining updated electoral rolls.
  • Conducting Elections: Holding free and fair elections for Panchayati Raj Institutions and Municipal bodies.
  • Supervision: Ensuring the transparency and fairness of elections to local bodies across Rajasthan.
• Role of SEC: The State Election Commissioner (SEC) is entrusted with the responsibility of conducting elections under the direct superintendence, direction, and control of the SEC, ensuring a free and fair election process at the local level.
• Obligation: State governments are required by law to provide necessary funds, staff, and assistance to the SECs for the effective conduct of elections, as requested by the SEC.
• Appointment: The State Election Commissioner is appointed by the Governor of the state. The conditions of service and tenure are determined by the Governor, and the position is held with autonomy and authority.
• Powers: Under Article 243K(1), the SEC has the exclusive responsibility for the preparation of electoral rolls and the conduct of elections for Panchayats (and Municipalities under Article 243ZA).
• Tenure: Article 243K(2) ensures that the tenure and appointment process of the State Election Commissioner is governed by laws made by the state legislature, providing a clear legal framework for the role.
• Removal: The State Election Commissioner holds the same status, salary, and allowances as a High Court judge. They can only be removed from office following the same procedure and grounds as a judge of the High Court, ensuring their independence and security of tenure.

• History of Elections in Rajasthan:
  • First Election: The first Panchayat election in Rajasthan was conducted by the Panchayat Department in 1960, followed by the first Municipal elections in 1963, which were organized by the Election Department.
  • SEC’s Role: The SEC assumed responsibility for conducting PRI elections from the 6th general election in 1995 and has been organizing general elections for Municipal bodies since 1994.
• Structure of Panchayati Raj: Rajasthan follows a three-tier Panchayati Raj system consisting of:
  • Zila Parishads (District level): 33 Zila Parishads, with 1014 constituencies.
  • Panchayat Samities (Block level): 352 Panchayat Samities, with 6995 constituencies.
  • Panchayats (Village level): 11,307 Panchayats, with 108,924 wards.
• Structure of Municipal Elections: Urban local bodies in Rajasthan consist of Municipalities, Municipal Councils, and Municipal Corporations.