Gyanesh Kumar becomes first CEC appointed under new rule: Law ministry

PM Modi-led selection committee has appointed Gyanesh Kumar as India's next Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), replacing Rajiv Kumar, who retires on Tuesday upon reaching the age of 65

Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has been appointed as the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led selection committee on Monday, effective February 19.  Kumar is the first CEC to be appointed under the new law on the appointment of the members of the Election Commission (EC). His term will run till January 26, 2029. He will be replacing Rajiv Kumar, who took charge as CEC in May 2022 and will be retiring on Tuesday upon reaching the age of 65.

 

Additionally, Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Dr Vivek Joshi has been appointed as an Election Commissioner.  The notice was issued shortly after a meeting of the Election Committee, which included Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, held this evening.  About Gyanesh Kumar 

Kumar, a retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from the 1988 Kerala cadre, has previously served as secretary in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and the Ministry of Cooperation. During his tenure at the Ministry of Home Affairs, he played a role in establishing the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust. He was also instrumental in managing Jammu and Kashmir affairs when Article 370 was revoked in 2019.

 

Kumar has held various positions in Kerala, including district collector of Ernakulam and managing director of Kerala State Cooperative Bank.

 

He holds a Bachelor of Technology in Civil Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur and has studied Business Finance at the Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts of India (ICFAI) and Environmental Economics at Harvard University.

 

He assumed office as an election commissioner on March 15, 2024, and was one of the two commissioners appointed by the selection panel, alongside Sukhbir Sandhu from the Uttarakhand cadre. 

Rajiv Kumar Retires as Chief Election Commissioner 

CEC Rajiv Kumar stepped down this morning. In his farewell speech, Kumar addressed key electoral concerns, including remote voting for non-resident Indians (NRIs) and migrant workers, biometric authentication for casting votes, and measures to prevent the disclosure of votes at individual polling stations to curb post-poll violence.  "Our voters are our biggest asset. I salute the wisdom and maturity of our voters, who can discern truth from misinformation. Their awareness and commitment to democratic values reflect their readiness to shape a just and progressive future. I firmly believe that our voters’ wisdom and active engagement at all layers of democracy guarantee that our nation will prosper, democratic values will only grow stronger, designed and uncorroborated attacks on democratic institutions will not shake their trust. India will continue to create democratic surpluses for the democracy’s world over," he said.

 

He also emphasised the need for financial transparency in managing election expenses and campaign promises, alongside tackling the spread of misinformation on social media. Additionally, he highlighted the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in revolutionising the electoral process.