Gyanesh Kumar Assumes Charge As Chief Election Commissioner

In his first message post assuming charge Kumar said that the first step for nation-building was voting.

New Delhi: Gyanesh Kumar took charge as the 26th Chief Election Commissioner at the Nirvachan Sadan on Wednesday. In his message post assuming charge Kumar said that the first step for nation-building was voting. Gyanesh Kumar will succeed Rajiv Kumar who demitted office on Tuesday.

Gyanesh Kumar further stated that in accordance with the Constitution, the electoral laws and rules issued therein, the Election Commission always stood with the voters.

Shri Gyanesh Kumar assumed charge as the Chief Election Commissioner of India today.

— Election Commission of India (@ECISVEEP) February 19, 2025

"The 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," Kumar said speaking to the media.

Kumar is the first CEC to be appointed under the new law, the Chief Election Commissioner And Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service, and Term of Office) Act, 2023.

A 1988-batch Kerala cadre IAS officer, Gyanesh Kumar had a significant stint with the Union Home Ministry. Born on January 27, 1964, Kumar played a key role in implementing decisions following the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution in Jammu and Kashmir in 2019. As an Additional Secretary, he was also responsible for handling documents related to the Supreme Court case on the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

Kumar is the senior of the two commissioners on the three-member panel that was led by Rajiv Kumar till he demitted office on Tuesday. He took charge as an election commissioner on March 15, 2024.

After completing his B.Tech in Civil Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur, he studied Business Finance at ICFAI, India and Environmental Economics at HIID, Harvard University, US.

He has worked in the government of Kerala as the assistant collector of Ernakulam, sub-collector of Adoor, managing director of the Kerala State Development Corporation for SC/ST, and municipal commissioner of the Corporation of Cochin, besides holding other posts. As a secretary to the government of Kerala, Kumar handled diverse departments, such as finance resources, fast-track projects and the public works department.