'Will retreat to the deep Himalayas': Rajiv Kumar reveals in final presser as CEC

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar addresses a press conference for the announcement of the schedule for the Delhi Assembly elections, in New Delhi.

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Tuesday after announcing the polling dates for all 70 assembly seats in Delhi revealed his intention to ”detoxify” himself and spend several months in solitude in the Himalayas post his retirement on February 18.

"I will detoxify myself for the next four-five months, go to the deep Himalayas, be away from the glare of all of you. I need some 'ekant' (solitude) and 'swadhyay' (self-study)," Rajiv Kumar, who is set to retire on February 18, said as quoted by news agency PTI.

In October last year, Kumar was rescued from the remote Ralam village in Uttarkhand’s Pithoragarh district following an emergency helicopter landing due to inclement weather and left stranded at over 12,000 feet. Kumar, a 1984-batch IAS officer from the Bihar/Jharkhand cadre, also shared a personal aspiration to give back to society by teaching underprivileged children.

Rajiv Kumar recounted his humble beginnings, studying in a municipal school where classes were held under a tree. ”I started learning ABCD in the 6th class. We carried a slate and sat under a tree to study. As a passion, I want to go back to those roots and teach such children,” he said.

Known for incorporating poetry into his addresses, Kumar used evocative couplets to underscore his messages. Addressing some parties’ tendency to question the Election Commission’s integrity, he recited: ”Aarop aur ilzamat ka daur chale koi gila nahi; jhooth ke gubbaron ko bulandi mile, koi shikwa nahi; har parinam me praman dete hain par wo bina saboot shaq ki nai duniya raunak karte hain.” This poetic plea was a call to eschew baseless accusations and appreciate the transparent work of the Election Commission. During the announcement of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, CEC Kumar had quipped, ”It is not proper to blame the EC for unfulfilled desires when one has not done their job properly.” Kumar took over as the 25th CEC on May 15, 2022, after serving as Election Commissioner since September 2020.

During his tenure, he oversaw landmark elections, including the 16th Presidential and Vice-Presidential elections in 2022 and assembly elections in 11 states. Before his appointment as CEC, Kumar held several key positions, including finance secretary and chairman of the Public Enterprises Selection Board. As finance secretary, he spearheaded significant reforms, such as bank mergers, recapitalization of public sector banks, and the crackdown on shell companies.

*With Agency Inputs