Shri Gyanesh Kumar IAS Retd. from the 1988 batch of the Kerala cadre is the 26th Chief Election Commissioner of India. He takes over from Shri Rajiv Kumar, who had held the post since May 15, 2022. The new EC’s tenure will continue until late January 26, 2029, during this period he will oversee many important state assembly elections. The upcoming polls include the elections in Bihar, alongside other state elections, namely Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and the presidential election of 2027. Before his retirement in 2029 he is expected to be announcing the dates for the next General elections to be scheduled sometime by May 2029.
He is the first Chief Election Commissioner appointed under The Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023. The law requires the President to appoint the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners based on a Selection Committee’s recommendation. This committee includes the Prime Minister, a Union Minister, and the Leader of the Opposition or the largest opposition party in the Lok Sabha. A Search Committee, led by the Cabinet Secretary, shortlists candidates for this Selection Committee. As per the new law, a CEC or Election Commissioner serves for six years or until age 65.
In Anoop Baranwal vs Union of India, the Supreme Court ruled that the Election Commission should be an independent body and not be solely controlled by the Executive. Until Parliament enacted a law, the Court directed appointments through a Selection Committee comprising the Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition, and Chief Justice of India. However, the 2023 Act replaced the Chief Justice of India with a Union Minister, increasing the Executive’s influence over appointments.
Shri Gyanesh Kumar holds a BTech in Civil Engineering from IIT Kanpur, with further studies in Business Finance at ICFAI, India, and Environmental Economics at Harvard University.
In Kerala, he served in key administrative roles, including Assistant Collector (Ernakulam), Sub Collector (Adoor), District Collector (Ernakulam), and Managing Director of multiple state entities. He also held positions such as Municipal Commissioner (Cochin), Secretary (Goshree Islands Development Authority), and Resident Commissioner (Kerala House, Delhi).
As Secretary to the Kerala Government, he oversaw Finance, Public Works, Modernising Government, and Food & Civil Supplies.
At the Centre, he worked as Joint Secretary (Defence, Home Affairs), Additional Secretary (Home Affairs), and Secretary (Parliamentary Affairs, Cooperation). He retired on January 31, 2024.
IndianBureaucracy.com wishes Shri Gyanesh Kumar the very best.