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{{Short description|Indian Administrative Service Officer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2018}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Ashok Lavasa
| office = [[Election Commissioner of India]]
| native_name =
| successor = [[Rajiv Kumar (civil servant)|Rajiv Kumar]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/rajeev-kumar-replaces-ashok-lavasa-as-election-commissioner-6578628/|title=Rajeev Kumar replaces Ashok Lavasa as Election Commissioner|website=[[The Indian Express]]|publication-place=[[New Delhi]]|access-date=2 September 2020}}</ref>
| term_end = 18 August 2020
| term_start = 23 January 2018
| office2 = [[Secretary to Government of India|Environment, Forests and Climate Change Secretary]] of India
| predecessor2 = V. Rajagopalan
| office1 = [[Finance Secretary (India)|Finance Secretary]] of India (in charge of Department of Expenditure)
| predecessor1 = Ratan P. Watal
| successor1 = [[Ajay Narayan Jha]]
| term_end1 = 30 October 2017
| term_start1 = 30 April 2016
| term_end2 = 30 April 2016
| term_start2 = 29 August 2014
| successor2 = [[Ajay Narayan Jha]]
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1957|10|21}}
| birth_place = [[Rajasthan]], [[India]]
| alma_mater = ([[Bachelor of Arts|B.A.]]) [[Delhi University]] ([[Master of Arts|M.A.]]) [[Hindu College, Delhi]] [[Delhi University]]
([[Master of Business Administration|MBA]]) [[Southern Cross University]]
| occupation = Retired [[IAS officer]]
| office3 = [[Secretary to Government of India|Civil Aviation Secretary]] of India
| successor3 = V. Somasundaran
| predecessor3 = [[K. N. Srivastava]]
| term_start3 = 1 January 2014
| term_end3 = 29 August 2014
| appointer = [[President of India]] {{small|then, [[Ram Nath Kovind]]}}
| predecessor = G. V. G. Krishnamurty
| vice_president = [[Venkaiah Naidu]]
| image = Shri Ashok Lavasa taking charge as the New Election Commissioner of India, in New Delhi on January 23, 2018.jpg
| image_size = 250px
| caption = Lavasa as Election Commissioner
| appointer1 = [[Appointments Committee of the Cabinet]]
| appointer2 = [[Appointments Committee of the Cabinet]]
| appointer3 = [[Appointments Committee of the Cabinet]]
| honorific_suffix = [[Indian Administrative Service|IAS]]
}}

'''Ashok Lavasa''' ([[International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration|IAST]]: {{IAST|Aśoka Lavāsā}}) (born 21 October 1957) is a retired 1980 batch [[Indian Administrative Service]] officer of [[Haryana]] cadre and was one of the two [[Election Commissioner of India|Election Commissioners of India]]. He has also served as the [[Finance Secretary (India)|Finance Secretary of India]], [[Secretary to Government of India|Environment, Forests and Climate Change Secretary of India]] and [[Secretary to Government of India|Civil Aviation Secretary of India]]. He served as the vice president of [[Asian Development Bank]] (ADB) from August 2020 to August 2023.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2020-07-15|title=Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa appointed ADB vice-president|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/adb-appoints-election-commissioner-ashok-lavasa-as-new-vice-president/article32089006.ece|access-date=2020-08-25|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

== Education ==
Ashok Lavasa did his schooling from [[Belgaum Military School]]. He is a [[Undergraduate education|graduate]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA Honours]]) from [[Delhi University]] and a [[Postgraduate education|postgraduate]] ([[Master of Arts|MA]]) in [[English language|English]] from [[Hindu College, Delhi]] of [[Delhi University]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://supremo.nic.in/ERSheetHtml.aspx?OffIDErhtml=14194&PageId=|title=Ashok Lavasa - Executive Record Sheet|website=Department of Personnel and Training, [[Government of India]]|access-date=21 January 2018}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=http://eci.nic.in/eci_main1/ecl.aspx|title=Election Commissioner - Shri Ashok Lavasa|website=[[Election Commission of India]]|access-date=18 January 2018}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/who-is-ashok-lavasa-the-new-election-commissioner-of-india/1024244/|title=Who is Ashok Lavasa, the new Election Commissioner of India|date=21 January 2018|website=[[The Financial Express (India)|The Financial Express]]|publication-place=[[New Delhi]]|access-date=21 January 2018}}</ref> He has an [[Master of Business Administration|MBA degree]] from [[Southern Cross University]] in [[New South Wales]], Australia,<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> and an [[Master of Philosophy|MPhil]] in defence and strategic studies.<ref name=":2" />

== Career ==

=== Before IAS ===
Before being appointed as an [[Indian Administrative Service|IAS officer]], Lavasa taught [[literature]] in the [[University of Delhi|Delhi University]].<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1" /> He also had a stint with the [[State Bank of India]] as a probationary officer.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1" />

=== As an IAS officer ===
[[File:The Election Commissioner of India, Shri Ashok Lavasa calling on the Vice President, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu, in New Delhi on February 05, 2018.jpg|left|thumb|Lavasa calling on the [[Vice President of India]], [[Venkaiah Naidu]] in February 2018]]

Lavasa has served in key positions for both the [[Government of India]] and the [[Government of Haryana]], like as [[Principal Secretary (India)|Principal Secretary]] and Financial Commissioner (Renewable Energy Sources), [[Principal Secretary (India)|Principal Secretary]] and Financial Commissioner (Power), Chief Coordinator (Industries), [[Resident commissioner (India)|resident commissioner]] of [[Haryana]], managing director of Haryana State Federation of Co-operative Sugar Mills (HSFCOSML), director of Haryana State Industrial Development Corporation (HSIDC), managing director of [[Haryana Tourism Corporation]] (HTC), and as the [[District Collector (India)|deputy commissioner and district magistrate]] of [[Jind district|Jind]] and [[Gurgaon district|Gurgaon]] [[List of districts of Haryana|districts]] in the [[Government of Haryana|Haryana government]],<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1" /> and as the [[Finance Secretary (India)|Union Finance Secretary]], [[Secretary to Government of India|Union Environment, Forests and Climate Change Secretary]], [[Secretary to Government of India|Union Civil Aviation Secretary]], special secretary in the [[Ministry of Power (India)|Ministry of Power]], [[Joint secretary to Government of India|joint secretary]] in the Ministry of Home Affairs, and as a [[Joint secretary to Government of India|joint secretary]] in the Department of Economic Affairs of the [[Ministry of Finance (India)|Ministry of Finance]] in the [[Government of India|Indian government]].<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1" />

==== Civil Aviation Secretary ====
Lavasa was appointed as the [[Secretary to Government of India|Union Civil Aviation Secretary]] by the [[Appointments Committee of the Cabinet]] (ACC) in December 2013.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/logistics/ashok-lavasa-to-be-new-civil-aviation-secretary/article5501075.ece|title=Ashok Lavasa to be new civil aviation secretary|date=25 December 2013|website=[[Business Line]]|publication-place=[[New Delhi]]|access-date=21 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/ashok-lavasa-appointed-civil-aviation-secretary-113122600559_1.html|title=Ashok Lavasa appointed Civil Aviation Secretary|date=26 December 2013|website=[[Business Standard]]|publication-place=[[New Delhi]]|access-date=21 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.financialexpress.com/archive/ashok-lavasa-appointed-civil-aviation-secretary/1211716/|title=Ashok Lavasa appointed civil aviation secretary|date=26 December 2013|website=[[The Financial Express (India)|The Financial Express]]|publication-place=[[New Delhi]]|access-date=21 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.firstpost.com/india/ashok-lavasa-appointed-civil-aviation-secretary-1308363.html|title=Ashok Lavasa appointed civil aviation secretary|date=26 December 2013|website=Firstpost|publication-place=[[New Delhi]]|access-date=21 January 2018}}</ref> He assumed office on 1 January 2014,<ref name=":0" /> and demitted it on 29 August 2014,<ref name=":0" /> when he was appointed as the [[Secretary to Government of India|Union Environment, Forests and Climate Change Secretary]].

==== Environment, Forests and Climate Change Secretary ====
Lavasa was appointed as the [[Secretary to Government of India|Union Environment, Forests and Climate Change Secretary]] by the [[Appointments Committee of the Cabinet]] (ACC) in August 2014.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/new-secretaries-appointed-for-civil-aviation-steel-ministries/articleshow/41182705.cms|title=New secretaries appointed for civil aviation, steel ministries|date=29 August 2014|website=[[The Economic Times]]|publication-place=[[New Delhi]]|access-date=21 January 2018}}</ref> He assumed office on 29 August 2014,<ref name=":0" /> and demitted it on 30 April 2016,<ref name=":0" /> when he was appointed as the [[Secretary to Government of India|Union Expenditure Secretary]].

==== Expenditure Secretary ====
Lavasa was appointed as the [[Secretary to Government of India|Union Expenditure Secretary]] by the [[Appointments Committee of the Cabinet]] (ACC) in April 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.livemint.com/Politics/tBP8vLXeG0UWX8bderpKXN/Ashok-Lavasa-appointed-as-new-expenditure-secretary.html|title=Ashok Lavasa appointed as new expenditure secretary|last=Prasad|first=Gireesh Chandra|date=26 April 2018|publisher=[[Live Mint]]|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|publication-place=[[New Delhi]]|access-date=21 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/ashok-lavasa-named-expenditure-secretary/articleshow/52002065.cms|title=Ashok Lavasa named Expenditure Secretary|date=27 April 2016|website=[[The Economic Times]]|publication-place=[[New Delhi]]|access-date=21 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/policy/ashok-lavasa-named-new-expenditure-secretary/article8524487.ece |url-access=subscription |title=Govt makes top level bureaucratic changes|author=Surabhi|date=26 April 2016|newspaper=[[Business Line]] |access-date=21 January 2018}}</ref> He assumed office on 30 April 2016,<ref name=":0" /> and demitted it and simultaneously [[Pension|superannuated]] from service on 30 October 2017.<ref name=":0" />

As the seniormost [[Secretary to Government of India|secretary]] in the [[Ministry of Finance (India)|Ministry of Finance]] after the retirement of [[Ratan Watal]], Lavasa was designated as [[Finance Secretary (India)|Finance Secretary]] in May 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/ashok-lavasa-designated-as-finance-secretary/article8672407.ece|title=Lavasa is Finance Secretary|last=Srivats|first=K. R.|date=31 May 2016|newspaper=[[Business Line]]|publisher=[[The Hindu]]|publication-place=[[New Delhi]]|access-date=21 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/ashok-lavasa-takes-over-as-finance-secretary-116053100548_1.html|title=Ashok Lavasa takes over as finance secretary|date=31 May 2016|website=[[Business Standard]]|publication-place=[[New Delhi]]|access-date=21 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.livemint.com/Home-Page/iyNjGO2lJYpAQCxJEILPwI/lavasa.html|title=Ashok Lavasa becomes new finance secretary|date=31 May 2016|website=[[Live Mint]]|publisher=[[HT Media Ltd]]|publication-place=[[New Delhi]]|access-date=21 January 2018}}</ref>

=== Post-retirement ===
[[File:Shri Ashok Lavasa taking charge as the New Election Commissioner of India, in New Delhi on January 23, 2018.jpg|thumb|Lavasa taking charge as one of the two [[Election Commissioner of India|Election Commissioners of India]] in February 2018]]

==== Election Commissioner of India ====
Post-retirement, Lavasa was appointed as one of the two [[Election Commissioner of India|Election Commissioners of India]] in January 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/om-prakash-rawat-to-succeed-ak-joti-as-new-chief-election-commissioner-5033745/|title=Om Prakash Rawat to succeed AK Joti as new Chief Election Commissioner|date=21 January 2018|website=[[The Indian Express]]|publication-place=[[New Delhi]]|access-date=21 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/om-prakash-rawat-to-take-over-as-chief-election-commissioner-on-january-23/articleshow/62592957.cms|title=Om Prakash Rawat to take over as chief election commissioner on January 23|date=21 January 2018|website=[[The Times of India]]|publication-place=[[New Delhi]]|access-date=21 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/om-prakash-rawat-appointed-new-chief-election-commissioner-ashok-lavasa-named-commissioner/1024128/|title=Om Prakash Rawat appointed new Chief Election Commissioner; Ashok Lavasa named commissioner|date=21 January 2018|website=[[The Financial Express (India)|The Financial Express]]|publication-place=[[New Delhi]]|access-date=21 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/om-prakash-rawat-appointed-new-chief-election-commissioner-1802876|title=Om Prakash Rawat Appointed New Chief Election Commissioner|date=21 January 2018|editor-last=Bose|editor-first=Abhimanyu|website=[[NDTV]]|publication-place=[[New Delhi]]|access-date=21 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-op-rawat-to-be-next-chief-election-commissioner-to-suceed-ak-joti-2577270|title=OP Rawat to be next Chief Election Commissioner, to succeed AK Joti|date=21 January 2018|website=[[Daily News and Analysis]]|publication-place=[[New Delhi]]|access-date=21 January 2018}}</ref> He assumed charge as Election Commissioner on 23 January 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://eci.nic.in/eci_main1/current/PN8_23012018.pdf|title=Subject: Sh. Ashok Lavasa takes over as new Election Commissioner|date=23 January 2018|website=[[Election Commission of India]]|publication-place=[[New Delhi]]|access-date=24 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2018/jan/23/ashok-lavasa-assumes-charge-as-election-commissioner-1762291.html|title=Ashok Lavasa assumes charge as Election Commissioner|date=23 January 2018|website=[[The New Indian Express]]|publication-place=[[New Delhi]]|access-date=24 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/government-press-release/sh-ashok-lavasa-takes-over-as-new-election-commissioner-118012301312_1.html|title=Sh. Ashok Lavasa takes over as new Election Commissioner|date=23 January 2018|website=[[Business Standard]]|publication-place=[[Delhi]]|access-date=24 January 2018}}</ref>

Lavasa made headlines in 2019 after a dissenting opinion on a panel's ruling of complaints against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and [[Amit Shah]] during the Lok Sabha election campaign.

Six complaints were filed against PM Modi. Lavasa disagreed with his panel colleagues in some of these cases.<ref>[https://scroll.in/latest/922276/election-watch-army-is-not-personal-property-of-modis-says-rahul-gandhi some of these cases]</ref>

He soon stopped attending meetings, saying "minority decisions" were being "suppressed in a manner contrary to well-established conventions observed by multi-member statutory bodies".

In December 2019, Lavasa in an article in the ''Indian Express'' wrote: "The honest, however, go on regardless, perhaps driven by an inner force that borders on recklessness. A society that creates hurdles which exhaust the honest or wound them paves the path for its own perdition".<ref>{{Cite web|author=Ashok Lavasa|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/the-difficulty-of-being-honest-prevention-of-corruption-act-ashok-lavasa-election-commission-of-india-6188078/|title=A society that creates hurdles to exhaust the honest, paves the path for its own perdition|date=28 December 2019|website=[[The Indian Express]]|access-date=20 November 2025}}</ref>

This was two months after an income tax notice was sent to his wife, Novel S Lavasa, over alleged discrepancies in filings. Sources had said the information had been sought "related to foreign exchange". Mrs Lavasa said she had "paid all taxes due" and "disclosed all income" and that she was cooperating.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa Quits To Join Asian Development Bank|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/election-commissioner-ashok-lavasa-resigns-to-join-asian-development-bank-2281327|access-date=2021-06-14|website=NDTV.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|author=Scroll Staff|title=Ashok Lavasa resigns as election commissioner to join Asian Development Bank|url=https://scroll.in/latest/970709/ashok-lavasa-resigns-as-election-commissioner-to-join-asian-development-bank-say-reports|access-date=2021-06-14|website=Scroll.in|language=en-US}}</ref>

He served as vice president of Asian Development Bank (ADB) from 31 August 2020 to 31 August 2023.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-07-26|title=Will Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa Not Join ADB?|url=https://www.newsclick.in/Election-Commissioner-Ashok-Lavasa-Not-Join-ADB|access-date=2020-08-25|website=NewsClick|language=en}}</ref>

== Work ==
* {{Cite book|title=An Uncivil Servant: The Success Story of a Bureaucrat Turned Businessman|last=Lavasa|first=Ashok|last2=Sethi|first2=Ravi Mohan|publisher=Rupa Publications|year=2010|isbn=978-81-291-1704-5|location=[[New Delhi]]}}
*Lavasa, Ashok (2021): ''An Ordinary Life: Portrait of an Indian Generation.'' Harper India {{ISBN|978-93-5422-317-4}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Ashok Lavasa}}

* {{URL|1=https://supremo.nic.in/ERSheetHtml.aspx?OffIDErhtml=14194&PageId=|2=Executive record sheet as maintained by Department of Personnel and Training, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions of the Government of India}}
* {{URL|1=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=434658290&privcapId=38712919&previousCapId=8033827&previousTitle=Life%20Insurance%20Corporation%20of%20India|2=Profile at Bloomberg}}

{{Ministry of Finance (India)}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lavasa, Ashok}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Indian Administrative Service officers]]
[[Category:Delhi University alumni]]
[[Category:Southern Cross University alumni]]
[[Category:1957 births]]
[[Category:Members of the Election Commission of India]]

Ashok Lavasa - Revision history

Maxlogistic at 04:55, 8 April 2026