Who is Gyanesh Kumar? The Next Chief Election Commissioner

In 1988, Gyanesh Kumar, an IAS official who belonged to Kerala cadre, was elected as India’s next chief election commissioner (CEC), replacing Rajiv Kumar. It was a milestone moment in his career, where he held many top positions in the central government. Kumar will serve on January 26, 2029.

Chief Election Commissioner Choice

Kumar was selected by a group led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The group also has leaders of the Union’s interior minister Amit Shah and opposition Rahul Gandhi. However, the choice caused controversy, with the Congress opposing the approach, and the Indian chief justice omitted the choice from the panel. The party argued that the option must be postponed until the Supreme Court ruled on the issue.

Previous roles and responsibilities

Prior to the appointment, Kumar served as Election Commissioner since March 15, 2024. Before becoming a member of the Election Commission, Kumar was a key official in various ministries. He is the secretary of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and the Ministry of Cooperation. He is also involved in the establishment of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust. When Article 370 of 2019 was abolished, he was also responsible for the affairs of jail and Kashmir.

Education

Gyanesh Kumar has a diverse academic background that helps Himbecome become an effective administrator. He started his studies at B.Tech from the School of Civil Engineering at Kanpur (IIT). He then went on to study business financing from a chartered financial analyst in India and the Institute of Environmental Economics at Harvard University. This convergence of technology, finance and environmental knowledge has made him an effective administrator.

Important elections

As CEC, Kumar will have to oversee important elections, such as the second half of Bihar Parliament poll, West Bengal, Assam and Tamil Nadu state polls will be conducted in 2026.

Consequences of appointment

Gyanesh Kumar’s appointment as chief election commissioner is the first to be appointed under the new law regarding the appointment of members of the Election Commission. His long experience in civil servants and high-profile roles and his educational qualifications prepares for this work. Kumar’s leadership will help ensure the integrity of the election process and conduct free and impartial elections