NEW DELHI: Gyanesh Kumar took charge of the office as the 26th chief election commissioner on Wednesday. In his first address as CEC, he said, “first step for nation building is voting.”
“Therefore, every citizen of India who has completed 18 years of age should become an elector and should always vote. In accordance with the Constitution of India, electoral laws, rules and instructions issued therein, the Election Commission of India was, is and will always be with the voters,” he added.
On Kumar taking charge of the office as CEC, the Election Commission of India said, “Gyanesh Kumar today assumed charge as the 26th chief election commissioner of India in pursuance of the ministry of law & justice gazette notification dated 17.02.2025. After assuming charge as CEC, Shri Gyanesh Kumar in his message to the voters said that the first step for nation building is voting and every citizen of India who has completed 18 Yrs of age should become an elector and should always vote. He added that in accordance with the Constitution of India, electoral laws, rules and instructions issued therein, the Election Commission was, is and will always be with the voters.”
Who is Gyanesh Kumar?
- Gyanesh Kumar is a retired IAS officer from the 1988 Kerala cadre.
- During his career, he held the position of secretary in both the ministry of parliamentary affairs and the ministry of cooperation.
- His significant contribution includes establishing the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust while working at the ministry of home affairs.
- In 2019, Kumar had a crucial involvement in managing Jammu and Kashmir matters during the abrogation of Article 370.
- His service in Kerala included roles as the Ernakulam district collector and managing director of Kerala State Cooperative Bank.
- His educational background comprises a BTech in Civil Engineering from IIT Kanpur, along with studies in Business Finance at ICFAI and Environmental Economics at Harvard University.
Controversy over Kumar’s appointment as CEC
Kumar was named as the new chief election commissioner (CEC) of India by the selection panel headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The appointment has sparked political controversy, with Congress demanding a delay in the selection until the Supreme Court reviews a petition that questions the modified appointment procedure for the CEC and election commissioners. Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi expressed concern over the Chief Justice of India’s absence from the selection committee, suggesting that the government’s intention is to exert influence over the Election Commission instead of preserving its autonomy.
