Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Monday (Feb 17) was appointed as India’s new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC). He succeeds CEC Rajiv Kumar, who will be demitting from office on Tuesday (Feb 18).

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A notification issued by the Indian Ministry of Law and Justice announced that President Droupadi Murmu was pleased to appoint Gyanesh Kumar, Election Commissioner, as Chief Election Commissioner in the Election Commission of India, with effect from February 19, 2025.

Also read | Gyanesh Kumar appointed India’s new Chief Election Commissioner as Rajiv Kumar’s tenure ends

He is the first CEC to be appointed under the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023, a new law on the appointment of the members of the Election Commission (EC).

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Who is Gyanesh Kumar?

Incoming CEC Gyanesh Kumar is a retired IAS officer from the 1988-batch Kerala cadre. He will serve as India’s Chief Election Commissioner starting Wednesday (Feb 19)

During his tenure as the 26th CEC, he will oversee assembly polls in Bihar later this year. And in 2026, he will oversee assembly elections in Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.

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Education and career

Gyanesh Kumar studied B. Tech in Civil Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur, Business Finance in ICFAI, India and Environmental Economics at HIID, Harvard University, US.

As per news agency ANI, he has worked in various capacities of the Kerala government. He worked as the assistant collector of Ernakulam, sub-collector of Adoor, managing director of the Kerala State Development Corporation for SC/ST, and municipal commissioner of the Corporation of Cochin, besides holding other posts.

Also read | India polls 2024: Gyanesh Kumar, Sukhbir Sandhu appointed new election commissioners

As a secretary to the government of Kerala, he handled diverse departments, such as finance resources, fast-track projects and the public works department.

In the government of India, he has rich experience working as the joint secretary in the Ministry of Defence. He has also worked as joint secretary and additional secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, secretary in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and secretary in the Ministry of Cooperation. He retired after superannuating on January 31, 2024.