Who is Gyanesh Kumar, the new Chief Election Commissioner

Gyanesh Kumar appointed as India's first CEC under new law, overseeing key elections until 2029.

Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar was appointed as the next chief election commissioner on Monday (February 17, 2025), the Law Ministry said. He is the first CEC to be appointed under a new law on the appointment of the members of the Election Commission (EC).

His term will run till January 26, 2029, days before the EC is expected to announce the next Lok Sabha election schedule.

Mr. Kumar was appointed after a meeting of a three-member committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.

He will assume office on Wednesday (February 19, 2025), when the Supreme Court will hear the challenge to a new law under which the selection has been made.

He was the senior-most Election Commissioner after CEC Rajiv Kumar.

Gyanesh Kumar, a 1988-batch former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from the Kerala cadre, retired as Union Cooperation Secretary on January 31, 2024. On March 14, 2024, he was appointed Election Commissioner.

During his stint in the Union Home Ministry, Mr. Kumar played a key role in implementing decisions following the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution in Jammu and Kashmir.