New Delhi: Former Civil Aviation Secretary Syed Nasim Ahmad Zaidi was today appointed as an Election Commissioner and took up his new assignment.

President Pranab Mukherjee earlier cleared his appointment in the Election Commission of India with effect from the date he assumes office.

Mr Zaidi, a 1976 batch IAS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre, retired as Civil Aviation Secretary on July 31.

Prior to that, he had served as Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and as the Permanent Representative of India to the Council of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) from 2005-08. He also served earlier as Chairman in Airport Authority of India.

Mr Zaidi fills the vacancy created in the three-member Election Commission by the retirement of former Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi and the elevation of V S Sampath as Chief Election Commissioner. H S Brahma is the other Election Commissioner.

A Masters in Public Administration from Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Mr Zaidi has been a Mason Fellow for Public Policy at Harvard Institute for International Development. He has a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Finance from Indian Institute of Finance and holds doctorate in Bio-Chemistry.