New Delhi/Gandhinagar, February 23 – The Election Commission of India (ECI) appointed Sandip Sagale as the new Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Gujarat on Monday.
He will assume responsibilities from the current CEO, Hareet Shukla, upon formally taking office.
Sagale, a 2007-batch officer of the Indian Administrative Service in the Gujarat cadre, is currently serving as Director General of the Sports Authority of Gujarat, a role he assumed following a major state government reshuffle in early 2025.
Prior to this, he was the Industries Commissioner at the Industries Commissionerate in Gandhinagar.
His administrative career encompasses various fields and headquarters assignments.
Official records indicate that Sagale has served as the Municipal Commissioner of the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation and as Collector in key districts, including Ahmedabad.
Officials noted that his experience in both urban and district administration has provided him with extensive exposure to diverse governance challenges.
Sagale holds a Bachelor of Technology in Chemical Engineering from Nagpur University. Born on November 16, 1972, he joined the IAS on August 18, 2007.
The office of the Chief Electoral Officer serves as the key link between the Election Commission of India and the state administrative machinery on electoral matters.
In Gujarat, the CEO is responsible for overseeing the revision of electoral rolls, coordinating election preparedness with district authorities, ensuring the implementation of the Model Code of Conduct during elections, and submitting regular reports to the Election Commission.
Hareet Shukla will continue to hold the office until Sagale formally assumes charge and completes the prescribed handover with senior officials of the state Election Department.
During his tenure, Shukla oversaw the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Gujarat, a major exercise aimed at enhancing voter registration accuracy.
The entire voter revision exercise began on October 27 last year and concluded on February 10.