Gyanesh Kumar has been appointed as the new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), succeeding Rajiv Kumar, who is retiring. The announcement followed a meeting of the Election Committee, which included Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi. Kumar's tenure will extend until January 26, 2029, during which he will oversee 20 Assembly elections, the Presidential and Vice-Presidential elections in 2027, and preparations for the 2029 Lok Sabha election.

 

Kumar, a 1988-batch IAS officer from the Kerala cadre, previously served in the Union Home Ministry and contributed to drafting the bill that revoked Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir in 2019.

 

The appointment has faced opposition from the Congress party, which criticized the selection process. They have challenged the law on the appointment of the Chief Election Commission in the Supreme Court, arguing that the government seeks control over the Election Commission and is unconcerned about its credibility. The Congress party is objecting to the exclusion of the Chief Justice of India from the selection panel.

 

Gyanesh Kumar will be in charge of elections in five states - Opposition-ruled Bengal, Kerala and Tamil Nadu and NDA-ruled Bihar and Assam -- in the immediate future. The election in Bihar is due later this year and the rest take place in 2026.