Gyanesh Kumar Appointed as the New Chief Election Commissioner

Gyanesh Kumar Appointed as the New Chief Election Commissioner

Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, the senior-most of the two commissioners after Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, has been appointed as the next Chief Election Commissioner, the government announced late this evening. Kumar will oversee elections in five states: Opposition-ruled Bengal, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, as well as NDA-ruled Bihar and Assam. The election in Bihar is scheduled for later this year, while those in the other states will take place in 2026.

Kumar, who will hold the position until January 26, 2029, will lead the Election Commission through 20 Assembly elections, as well as elections for the President and Vice-President in 2027, and preparations for the 2029 Lok Sabha election.

The announcement follows a meeting of the Election Committee, which includes Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi. Gandhi expressed dissent during the meeting.

A 1988-batch IAS officer from the Kerala cadre, Gyanesh Kumar previously served in the Union Home Ministry and played a role in drafting the bill that revoked Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir in 2019. He is known to have close ties with Amit Shah.

The Congress party raised objections to the appointment, pointing out that the law governing the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner is currently under challenge in the Supreme Court, which is scheduled to hear the matter on Saturday. The party has accused the government of attempting to control the Election Commission and undermining its credibility.

Government sources, however, indicated that they did not want to delay the selection process as it could leave a vacancy in the Election Commission. Since the court has not issued a stay on the appointment, legal advice was sought before making the decision.

Prior to the law passed by Parliament in 2023, the Chief Election Commissioner was appointed by the President of India on the recommendation of the Prime Minister. Typically, the seniormost of the two remaining Election Commissioners was selected.

Under the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service, and Term of Office) Act, 2023, a committee led by the law minister must shortlist five candidates. The final selection is made by a team comprising the Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition, and a Cabinet minister.

However, the new law has replaced the Chief Justice of India with a Cabinet minister in the selection committee, a change that has been challenged in court. Petitioners argue that this alters the balance of power within the committee and compromises its neutrality.

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