12001 – 2007Director and Joint Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs (drafted the Scheduled Tribes forest rights bill, 2005)
2until 2015Joint Secretary, Department of Expenditure
32015 – 2017Establishment Officer, Department of Personnel and Training
4Sep 2017 – Feb 2020Secretary, Department of Financial Services, later Finance Secretary (retired Feb 2020)
5Apr 2020 – Aug 2020Chairman, Public Enterprises Selection Board
6Sep 2020 – May 2022Election Commissioner, ECI
7May 2022 – Feb 2025Chief Election Commissioner of India
Also held, undated:SDM, ADM (Law & Order), District Development Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner; Director, Primary Education, Bihar; Director, Industries, BiharPostings in the Ministry of Environment and Forests
Rajiv Kumar's tenure ended on 18 Feb 2025 as he reached the age limit of 65. At his farewell on 17 Feb he said voter trust was unshaken by attacks he called motivated and uncorroborated.
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