New Delhi: Gyanesh Kumar, previously serving as Election Commissioner, has been appointed as the next Chief Election Commissioner, announced the Ministry of Law on Monday.
Under the new law governing the appointment of Election Commission members, Kumar becomes the inaugural CEC appointed under this statute. His tenure extends until January 26, 2029, just days before the EC is set to announce the schedule for the next Lok Sabha elections.
Vivek Joshi, a 1989-batch IAS officer from the Haryana cadre, has also been appointed as an Election Commissioner. Born on May 21, 1966, Joshi, aged 58, will serve in the poll panel until 2031.
Sushil Chandra, formerly the CBDT chairman, has transitioned to the role of Election Commissioner after resigning from the CBDT. Joshi, who previously served as Haryana’s chief secretary, has been on central deputation since January 2019.
During Kumar’s tenure as the 26th CEC, he will oversee the Bihar Assembly elections later this year, as well as the Assembly polls in Kerala and Puducherry in 2026. Additionally, he will supervise the Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, also scheduled for 2026.
Kumar, known for his role in implementing decisions following the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir during his tenure in the Union Home Ministry, assumed office as Election Commissioner on March 15, 2024.
His appointment followed a demand from the Congress to postpone the selection of the new CEC until the Supreme Court concludes its review of a petition challenging the composition of the selection panel. The request was made by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi during a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with Home Minister Amit Shah also in attendance.
Kumar, a 1988-batch IAS officer from Kerala, holds a B.Tech in Civil Engineering from IIT Kanpur, and has pursued studies in Business Finance from ICFAI, India, and Environmental Economics from Harvard University, US. His career includes significant roles such as Assistant Collector of Ernakulam, Sub-Collector of Adoor, and Secretary in various ministries of the Government of India, culminating in his retirement on January 31, 2024.
