Who is Gyanesh Kumar, the former IAS officer appointed as new Chief Election Commissioner of India?

The Union Government has appointed Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar as the new Chief Election Commissioner of India. He will replace Rajiv Kumar, whose term came to an end on Tuesday, February 18, after serving in the ECI for more than four years.

CREDIT: BCCL

First CEC appointed under new law

Gyanesh Kumar is the first Chief Election Commissioner of India under the new rules on the appointment of the CEC and ECs, which came into force last year, wherein a search committee shortlists five names from among secretary-level officers for consideration and finalisation by the prime minister-led panel. The new law has removed the Chief Justice of India (CJI) from the CEC selection panel.

Will oversee crucial state elections?

As the 26th Chief Election Commissioner of India, Gyanesh Kumar will hold the post till January 26, 2029.

He would be in charge of elections in five states, including Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, and Assam.

Who is Gyanesh Kumar

Born in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, Kumar is a Civil Engineering graduate from IIT Kanpur and also studied Environmental Economics at HIID, Harvard University.

CREDIT: IANS

A 1988-batch IAS officer of the Kerala cadre, Kumar held several posts, including as assistant collector of Ernakulam, sub-collector of Adoor, managing director of the Kerala State Development Corporation for SC/ST, and municipal commissioner of the Cochin Corporation.

Kumar, who is known to be close to Home Minister Amit Shah, has also served as the joint secretary in the Ministry of Defence, joint secretary and additional secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, secretary in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, and secretary in the Ministry of Cooperation.

He also played a key role in implementing decisions following the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution in Jammu and Kashmir during his stint in the Union Home Ministry.

CREDIT: X/ ACHAL SHAH

What Congress said

Reacting to Kumar's appointment as the new CEC, the Congress said the hastily-taken decision shows that the government is keen on circumventing the Supreme Court's scrutiny and getting the appointment done before a clear order kicks in.

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