On February 17, 2025, Gyanesh Kumar was officially appointed as the next Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India by the Law Ministry. This appointment is significant as he is the first CEC to be selected under the new law that governs the selection of Election Commission (EC) members. His term will extend until January 26, 2029, placing him in a key role at the Election Commission of India (ECI) during important electoral events, including the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Selection and Appointment Process
Gyanesh Kumar was appointed after a meeting of a three-member committee chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. His appointment was confirmed just two days before he officially took office on February 19, 2025. Notably, his selection comes at a time when the Supreme Court is set to hear a challenge against the new law regulating appointments to the Election Commission.
Before his promotion to CEC, Gyanesh Kumar was the senior-most Election Commissioner after CEC Rajiv Kumar. His vast experience in administrative and governance roles made him a suitable candidate for leading the Election Commission.
Profile of Gyanesh Kumar
Educational Background
Gyanesh Kumar has an impressive academic record. His educational qualifications include:
- B.Tech in Civil Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur.
- Business Finance studies at ICFAI, India.
- Environmental Economics at the Harvard Institute for International Development (HIID), Harvard University, USA.
Administrative and Government Career
Gyanesh Kumar is a 1988-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from the Kerala cadre. Throughout his career, he has held numerous key positions at both the state and central government levels:
Roles in the Kerala Government
- Assistant Collector of Ernakulam
- Sub-Collector of Adoor
- Managing Director of the Kerala State Development Corporation for SC/ST
- Municipal Commissioner of the Corporation of Cochin
- Secretary to the Kerala Government, handling departments like finance resources, fast-track projects, and the public works department
