Seshan was appointed an apprentice administrator, as an assistant collector, for a year at
Coimbatore, as a trainee of the Academy of Administration in Delhi. He was first appointed sub-collector in
Dindigul. After his return in 1969, he was appointed secretary to the
Atomic Energy Commission. From 1972 to 1976, he served as joint secretary at the
Department of Space. According to interview given by him to
Business Standard, Law Minister
Subramanian Swamy played a vital role in this appointment. He became best known for his electoral reforms. He redefined the status and visibility of the
Election Commission of India. He identified more than hundred electoral malpractices and reformed the election process. Some of reforms he implemented include enforcement of
election code of conduct,
Voter IDs for all eligible voters, limit on election candidates' expenditure, appointing election officials from states other than the one facing polls. He curbed several malpractices like bribing or intimidating voters, distribution of liquor during elections, use of government funds and machinery for campaigning, appealing to voters' caste or communal feelings, use of places of worship for campaigns, use of loudspeakers and high volume music without prior written permission. During the
1999 Indian general elections, due to his reforms, 1488 candidates were disqualified for three years for failing to submit their expenditure accounts. It was reported that he reviewed more than 40,000 expenditure accounts and disqualified 14,000 candidates for false information. In 1992, the Election Commission canceled elections in Bihar and Punjab due to electoral issues. == Later life ==