SY Quraishi takes over as the new CEC

New Delhi: SY Quraishi on Friday took over as India's new chief election commissioner (CEC), becoming the first Muslim to occupy the post.

He said after becoming the new CEC that achieving "a perfect electoral roll" was his priority.

After assuming office, Quraishi said that "enhancing voters' participation and restricting the role of money power in elections are among the emerging challenges" before the election commission.

Replying to a question to CNN-IBN if the chief election commissioner should have the power or authority to remove anyone simply on the basis of complaints, Quraishi said that the chief election commissioner should not have that power. “One equal cannot ask for the removal of another equal. So in the current legislation I feel very strongly very soon to avoid any such unsavoury situation in future.”

He further said, “It is not very healthy for institutions,” and hence the government should bring about a constitutional reform in this regard.

He took over from Navin Chawla, who held the post for one-and-a-half years.

"We are already working systematically to achieve a perfect electoral roll at the earliest," Quraishi told reporters.