Senior EC member Gyanesh Kumar Appointed New Chief Election Commissioner
Gyanesh Kumar has been appointed as the new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India, succeeding Rajiv Kumar, whose term ended on February 18, 2025. Kumar’s appointment was confirmed by a selection committee led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which also included Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi. This decision comes amid ongoing debates regarding the appointment process for election commissioners, particularly the exclusion of the Chief Justice of India from the selection panel.
Tenure and Responsibilities
Kumar’s term as CEC will last until January 26, 2029. During this time, he will oversee significant electoral events, including 20 Assembly elections and the Presidential elections in 2027, as well as preparations for the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. His experience includes serving as an Election Commissioner since March 2024 and playing key roles in various electoral processes, including the first Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir post-reorganization.
Gyanesh Kumar is a retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from the 1988 Kerala cadre. He has previously held various positions, including secretary in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and the Ministry of Cooperation. Notably, he was involved in establishing the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust and managing Jammu and Kashmir affairs during significant political changes in 2019. Kumar holds a Bachelor of Technology in Civil Engineering from IIT Kanpur and has pursued further studies in Business Finance and Environmental Economics.
Controversy Surrounding Appointment
The appointment has sparked controversy, especially from opposition parties like Congress, which argued for deferring the decision until a Supreme Court ruling on the new appointment process could be made. The Supreme Court is set to hear challenges regarding changes to the selection committee that removed the Chief Justice from its composition.
