Rajiv Kumar

IAS 1984, Jharkhand cadre (retired Feb 2020)

497days after leaving Chief Election Commissioner. Then HDFC Bank Ltd.

The cooling-off rule

18 Feb 2025 (end of CEC term) to 30 Jun 2026; IAS retirement Feb 2020.

The rule: All India Services (Death-cum-Retirement Benefits) Rules, 1958, rule 26: a pensioner shall not accept commercial employment within one year of retirement without previous sanction of the Central Government.

Before and after

15 May 2022 – 18 Feb 2025Documented
Chief Election Commissioner
Earlier: Finance Secretary and Secretary, Department of Financial Services, 2017–2020; PESB chair 2020
The Wire
497 days after leaving.
30 Jun 2026Documented
HDFC Bank Ltd
Additional Independent Director (4 years from 30 Jun 2026); Part-time Chairman (3 years, RBI-approved 15 Jul 2026)
The bank’s board has cleared Kumar’s appointment as an independent director for four years starting on June 30.
The Wire · Mint

What the office had to do with the company

As DFS Secretary (2017–2020) he headed the department for banks; no dated decision specific to HDFC Bank was found. The public question raised (Abhishek Banerjee) concerns his CEC tenure, not a decision involving HDFC Bank.

What was said

Raised by: Abhishek Banerjee, TMC, 6 Oct 2026: “If this is true, the chronology deserves attention,” moneycontrol.com

No response by Kumar or HDFC Bank to Banerjee found.

Sources

Dates and filings placed side by side; being listed is not a finding of wrongdoing. Sources were opened on Oct 2026.

Photo: Election Commission of India, GODL-India