Gyanesh Kumar has been appointed as the 26th Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India, effective February 19, 2025. He succeeds Rajiv Kumar, who retired upon reaching the age of 65.
Gyanesh Kumar, born on January 27, 1964, in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, is a 1988-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from the Kerala cadre. He holds a B.Tech in Civil Engineering from IIT Kanpur and has furthered his education with studies in Business Finance from ICFAI, India, and Environmental Economics from Harvard University, USA
Throughout his distinguished career, Kumar has held several key positions in the Indian government. Notably, he served as the Secretary of the Ministry of Cooperation from May 2022 until his retirement in January 2024. During this tenure, he played a pivotal role in the enactment of the Multi-State Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Act, 2023, and was instrumental in establishing national cooperative bodies such as the Bharatiya Beej Sahakari Samiti Limited and the National Cooperative Export Limited.
Kumar also held the position of Secretary in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs between May 2021 and May 2022 and served as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs. In the latter role, he was actively involved in significant national initiatives, including the abrogation of Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
His appointment as CEC marks the first under the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service, and Term of Office) Act, 2023. This legislation redefined the selection process, involving a committee comprising the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and a Union Cabinet Minister nominated by the Prime Minister.
Gyanesh Kumar's tenure as Chief Election Commissioner is set to continue until January 26, 2029. During this period, he will oversee critical electoral processes, including the upcoming general elections, ensuring the integrity and transparency of India's democratic framework.
