New Delhi, July 29 (IANS) Navin Chawla Thursday demitted the office of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), setting the stage for senior Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi to take over Friday.

Chawla, who held the post of CEC for one-and-half years, was given a farewell by the election commission staff Thursday. He had joined the commission as a member in 2005.

The 2009 Lok Sabha polls and several assembly polls were held under his chairmanship.

Quraishi said he was taking over the post with ‘great pride and humility’. ‘I request the cooperation of all stakeholders, especially the people of this great country to fulfil my responsibilities,’ he told the media Thursday.