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The Election Commission of India (ECI) has expressed its grief over the demise of former Chief Election Commissioner Dr Manohar Singh Gill who passed away in Delhi on Sunday after a brief illness.
Election Commission of India, in a statement, said that Gill's leadership and commitment to the electoral process will continue to inspire the poll body. "His leadership and commitment to the electoral process will continue to inspire us at the Election Commission of India. We pray for the noble departed soul and convey our profound condolences," the ECI said. A former bureaucrat, Gill served under Parkash Singh Badal as a young officer when the Shiromani Akali Dal patriarch was the Punjab chief minister. He served as the chief election commissioner (CEC) between December 1996 and June 2001. Gill retired as the Chief Election Commissioner of India, a position he held from 1996 to 2001. After retirement, Gill joined the Indian National Congress and represented Punjab in the Rajya Sabha from 2004 to 2016, marking two successful terms as a member of the upper house. Gill held the posts of Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports and Minister of Statistics and Programme Implementation under the Congress government. He succeeded TN Seshan as the CEC of India. The ECI further said that during his tenure as CEC, ECI successfully conducted the General Elections to the 12h Lok Sabha in 1998 and 13th Lok Sabha in 1999, 11th Presidential Elections and Vice-Presidential Elections in 1997, and general elections to legislative assemblies in more than 20 states. Gill was awarded the Padma Vibhushan in the year 2000 for his exceptional and distinguished services as a civil servant. (ANI)
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