CHENNAI: The Election Commission of India on Friday designated senior IAS officer Archana Patnaik as the Chief Electoral Officer for Tamil Nadu. She replaces Satyabrata Sahoo who has been the CEO since March 2018. Recently, Sahoo was transferred as the Secretary to the Animal Husbandry Department. Patnaik is the first woman IAS officer to hold the post of the CEO.
Patnaik has been serving as the MSME Secretary since September last. The State government is expected to issue a formal order appointing her as the new CEO soon. “Archana Patnaik shall cease to hold and hand over forthwith the charge of all or any charges of work under the Tamil Nadu government, which she may be holding before assuming charge as the CEO. She shall not hold any additional charge whatsoever in TN government except that she should be designated Secretary to the government in charge of the Election Department in the State secretariat,” the ECI notification said.