February 18, 2025 - Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar was yesterday appointed as Chief Election Commissioner. This announcement was made by the Law Ministry following a three-member committee meeting headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi and including Home Minister Amit Shah and Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi.

Kumar will assume office from tomorrow, February 19, and is the first CEC to be appointed under a new law on the appointment of Election Commission members. This new law replaces the Chief Justice with the Home Minister on the selection panel.

He was the senior-most Election Commissioner after outgoing CEC Rajiv Kumar and held the position since March 2024. Kumar is a 1988 Batch Kerala Cadre Officer of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS). His term will run until January 26, 2029, just before announcement of the next Lok Sabha election schedule is expected.

Additionally, IAS officer Dr Vivek Joshi has been appointed as an Election Commissioner.

Meanwhile, outgoing CEC Rajiv Kumar addressed key electoral concerns in his farewell speech emphasising the need for financial transparency in managing election expenses and campaign promises.

He further said: “A pressing concern is the growing tendency to target election officials in the aftermath of electoral contests. It is perceived as a convenient scapegoat. All candidates and parties are involved in every stage of the process with the utmost transparency. Having participated in each step, without raising objections or filing appeals during the process, then attempting to create doubt afterward is undesirable.”