New Delhi, April 25 (PTI): B.B. Tandon was today appointed the chief election commissioner.

He succeeds T.S. Krishnamurthy, who is retiring next month.

Sixty-four-year-old Tandon, a low-profile IAS officer of 1965 batch, will be the poll panel chief till next June.

Tandon, who was appointed election commissioner in 2001, will assume charge on May 16, an official announcement said.

Prior to becoming election commissioner, Tandon was personnel secretary at the Centre. He was also a member of the delimitation commis- sion. Tandon has held various top level posts at the Centre as well as in Himachal Pradesh, Delhi and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. He was secretary in the ministry of personnel, public grievances and pensions, earlier.