Gyanesh Kumar (IAS:1988:KL) took charge as the 26th Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) on Wednesday, while Dr. Vivek Joshi (IAS:1989:HY) assumed office as an Election Commissioner.
Kumar, who had been serving as an Election Commissioner since March 15, 2024, was elevated to the top post, replacing Rajiv Kumar (IAS:1984:JH), who demitted office on Tuesday. The other Election Commissioner, SS Sandhu (IAS:1989:UK), was appointed to the poll panel along with Kumar on March 14, 2024.
In his message to voters after assuming charge, Mr. Kumar 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.” Mr. Kumar asserted that the “Election Commission was, is and will always be with the voters”.
Before joining the Election Commission, Kumar held key positions in the Government of India, including Secretary in the Ministry of Cooperation, Secretary in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, and senior roles in the Ministries of Home Affairs and Defence. He also served in the Government of Kerala as District Collector of Ernakulam, MD of Kerala State Cooperative Bank, and Resident Commissioner of Kerala House in New Delhi, among other roles.
Dr. Vivek Joshi, who has now taken over as an Election Commissioner, has vast experience in governance at both the central and state levels. Before this role, he served as Chief Secretary of Haryana, Secretary in the Department of Personnel & Training, and Secretary in the Department of Financial Services. He was also Registrar General & Census Commissioner of India and Member Secretary of the Fifth State Finance Commission of Haryana.
With Gyanesh Kumar as CEC and SS Sandhu and Vivek Joshi as Election Commissioners, the Election Commission is now fully constituted.
