Gyanesh Kumar, a retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from the 1988 Kerala cadre, has been appointed as India’s 26th Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) as of February 19, 2025. Prior to this role, he served as an Election Commissioner from March 15, 2024. Kumar’s extensive career includes positions such as Secretary in the Ministries of Cooperation and Parliamentary Affairs, and Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, where he played a pivotal role during the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir in 2019. He holds a B.Tech in Civil Engineering from IIT Kanpur and has pursued studies in Business Finance at ICFAI, India, and Environmental Economics at Harvard University, USA.
Upon assuming office, Kumar emphasized the significance of voting, stating, “The first step for nation building is voting. Therefore, every citizen of India who has completed 18 years of age should become an elector and should always vote.” His tenure is set to oversee major electoral events, including the Bihar Assembly polls later this year and the Kerala and Puducherry Assembly elections in 2026.
However, his appointment has sparked political controversy. The selection was made by a committee comprising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi. Gandhi submitted a dissent note, expressing concerns over the selection process, especially since the 2023 law governing these appointments is currently under judicial review by the Supreme Court. Despite the objections, the government proceeded with the appointment, citing the necessity to fill the crucial position without delay.
In addition to Kumar’s elevation, Vivek Joshi, a 1989-batch Haryana-cadre IAS officer and former Haryana Chief Secretary, has been appointed as an Election Commissioner, filling the vacancy created by Kumar’s new role.
