Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has been appointed as the new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India, effective February 19, 2025.
A notification issued by the Ministry of Law and Justice stated, “President Droupadi Murmu is pleased to appoint Gyanesh Kumar, Election Commissioner, as Chief Election Commissioner in the Election Commission of India, with effect from February 19, 2025.”
The appointment has been made under Section 4 of the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023.
Vivek Joshi Appointed as Election Commissioner
In a separate notification, the Ministry of Law and Justice also announced the appointment of Dr. Vivek Joshi as Election Commissioner. A 1989-batch IAS officer from the Haryana cadre, he will assume charge upon taking office.
These appointments were made shortly after a meeting of the Selection Committee.
Gyanesh Kumar Succeeds Rajiv Kumar
Gyanesh Kumar takes over from Rajiv Kumar, who will be stepping down as CEC on February 18, 2025.
Rajiv Kumar had joined the Election Commission of India (ECI) as an Election Commissioner on September 1, 2020, before assuming charge as the 25th Chief Election Commissioner on May 15, 2022.
Rajiv Kumar’s Contributions to Electoral Reforms
In his farewell address, Rajiv Kumar expressed gratitude to 15 million polling officials for their dedication to upholding democracy.
During his tenure, he focused on inclusive elections, making efforts to enroll marginalized groups such as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) and third-gender voters.
A release mentioned that Rajiv Kumar personally wrote letters to over 2.5 lakh centenarian voters, recognizing their contributions to Indian democracy.
To combat youth and urban apathy, he implemented innovative measures, including setting up polling stations in high-rise residential societies to increase voter participation.