Gyanesh Kumar Appointed as Chief Election Commissioner of India
New Delhi: Gyanesh Kumar, who took office as an Election Commissioner last year, has now been named the new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India, succeeding Rajiv Kumar. He officially began his duties this morning and will be responsible for overseeing the Bihar Assembly elections later this year, along with the elections in Bengal, Assam, and Tamil Nadu next year.
Kumar’s appointment comes after a late-night meeting on Monday involving Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi. This move has stirred controversy since Gandhi did not support Kumar’s selection.
The rules governing this appointment were established under the 2023 law, which allows the President to appoint the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners based on recommendations from a selection committee that includes PM Modi, a cabinet minister—Amit Shah—and the leader of the opposition.
This law has faced challenges in the Supreme Court, which is expected to hear the case on February 19. During the meeting, Rahul Gandhi voiced his disagreement with Kumar’s appointment, urging the government to delay the decision until after the court’s ruling. However, the government proceeded with the appointment, arguing that leaving the position vacant would be unwise.
Following the meeting, Gandhi issued a dissenting statement, expressing that the selection committee’s meeting lacked meaning due to the ongoing legal challenge. He stressed the importance of an independent Election Commission and emphasized that the appointment process should not be influenced by the executive branch. He described the midnight decision as disrespectful and criticized the exclusion of the Chief Justice of India from the panel.
Trinamool Congress leader Saket Gokhale also criticized the move, jokingly referring to Amit Shah as "India’s new Chief Election Commissioner" and expressing doubts about the BJP’s success in West Bengal despite the changes in leadership.
Who is Gyanesh Kumar?
Gyanesh Kumar is a 1988 IAS officer from the Kerala cadre. Before becoming the CEC, he was the senior-most commissioner on the previous three-member panel led by Rajiv Kumar. He has previously worked in the Union Home Ministry, where he played a role in drafting the law that removed Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019, which reorganized the state into two union territories. Additionally, he has held key positions such as Joint Secretary (Kashmir Division) and Additional Secretary in the Home Ministry.
