New Delhi, February 18:
Senior Election Commission member Gyanesh Kumar has been appointed as the new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC). His appointment follows the tradition of elevating the most senior election commissioner to the top position. This is the first time that this convention was followed with the approval of a selection panel consisting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi.
In addition, Vivek Joshi, a 1989 batch IAS officer currently serving as the Chief Secretary of Haryana, has been named as an Election Commissioner, restoring the Election Commission (EC) to its full strength of three members. His appointment follows the retirement of Rajiv Kumar, the outgoing CEC.
Background and Experience
Joshi has extensive administrative experience, having held key positions in both the central government and his home cadre. He previously served as Secretary, Personnel, and as Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. During his tenure as RGI, he was responsible for organizing the 2021 Census, which was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gyanesh Kumar, a retired 1988 batch IAS officer from the Kerala cadre, has also held several crucial positions at both the state and national levels. He last served as Secretary in the Ministry of Cooperation before retiring in January 2023. He was also Additional Secretary in charge of Jammu & Kashmir Division in the Home Ministry when the revocation of Article 370 took place.
Tenure and Future Role
Going by seniority, Joshi is expected to be the next CEC once Gyanesh Kumar retires on January 27, 2029, upon reaching the age limit of 65 years. Another election commissioner, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, will complete his tenure on July 6, 2028. At 58 years old, Joshi will remain in office for five years, until February 2030. His tenure will see him overseeing the 2029 General Elections, along with various state and Union Territory elections in his capacity as Election Commissioner and later as CEC.
Given his background as Census Commissioner, Joshi’s expertise is expected to be valuable for the upcoming delimitation exercise based on the next census, which is scheduled post-2026. The Chief Election Commissioner or their nominee is an ex-officio member of the Delimitation Commission, making Joshi’s experience particularly relevant.
Selection Committee & Supreme Court Challenge
During the selection committee meeting, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi submitted a dissent note, urging the government to wait until February 19, when the Supreme Court is set to hear a petition challenging the composition of the selection panel. However, this request was not accepted.
This marks the first instance of a CEC appointment under the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service, and Term of Office) Act, 2023. Kumar and Sandhu were also appointed as election commissioners in March 2023 under the same law, which was introduced in response to a Supreme Court directive issued in March 2023.
Before the Supreme Court ruling, the CEC and election commissioners were appointed solely through an executive order, without any involvement from the opposition. In December 2023, a formal law was passed, outlining a selection process that includes the Prime Minister, a minister nominated by the PM, and the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha.
The Supreme Court, in its last hearing on the challenge to this law, chose not to interfere with the CEC appointment process, as the selection was necessary due to the retirement of Rajiv Kumar. The case is set for further hearing next Wednesday.
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