New Delhi: Former IAS officer Gyanesh Kumar has been appointed as the 26th Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India. His tenure begins as Rajiv Kumar steps down on February 18, 2024. Kumar will serve as the CEC until January 26, 2029.
Who is Gyanesh Kumar?
- A 1988-batch IAS officer from the Kerala cadre
- Served as Secretary in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs
- Played a key role in establishing the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust
- Handled the Jammu & Kashmir desk at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) during the abrogation of Article 370
- Retired as Secretary in the Ministry of Cooperation under Amit Shah
Appointment Process and Political Controversy
The appointment was made by a high-level panel led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi.
However, the Congress party raised objections, stating that the meeting to appoint the CEC should have been postponed until the Supreme Court’s final verdict on the selection panel’s structure, expected on February 19, 2024.
Congress’s Objections
The Congress party criticized the exclusion of the Chief Justice of India (CJI) from the selection panel under the Election Commission (Appointment) Act, 2023. Senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi accused the government of trying to control the Election Commission while compromising its credibility.
