Amaravati, Apr 1 (IANS): Nilam Sawhney, former Chief Secretary of Andhra Pradesh, on Thursday took over as the new State Election Commissioner (SEC), ending a tumultuous chapter with former SEC Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar.

Governor Biswa Bhushan Harichandan selected her name from a panel of three names proposed by the state government, clearing the way for the retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer to assume the Constitutional role.

Sawhney is a 1984 batch IAS officer of Andhra Pradesh cadre and made history as the first woman Chief Secretary of the state and also the first woman SEC now.

On Thursday, the new election commissioner paid a courtesy call to the Raj Bhavan and visited the Governor.

Meanwhile, the superannuation of Kumar is a major relief for the state government as he was constantly at loggerheads with it.

The Andhra government even tried to sack him midway but his Constitutional immunity protected his seat.

There were major disagreements over the timing of elections between Kumar and Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Not just elections but a long chain of back and forth accusations also ensued between the state government and the outgoing SEC.

In the end, Reddy emerged victorious by sweeping the rural and urban local bodies polls with landslide victories.