Bhubaneswar: Archana Patnaik, who hails from Odisha, has been appointed as the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Tamil Nadu.
The senior IAS officer, who is serving as the MSME Secretary, will replace Satyabrata Sahoo, also from Odisha.
She was designated the Chief Electoral Officer after ECI consulted with the state government.
The ECI communication said the 2002-batch IAS officer of Tamil Nadu cadre shall cease to hold and hand over forthwith the charge of all or any charges of work under government of Tamil Nadu, which she may be holding before assumption of office.
Archana also served as Collector of Coimbatore and was the first woman to be appointed to the post in the district since 1945.
She had joined Odisha cadre on inter-state deputation in November 2017 on personal grounds and appointed MD, National Health Mission, with additional charge of MD, Odisha State Medical Corporation Ltd. She also served as Special Secretary in Water Resources Department in Odisha till 2020.
