Gyanesh Kumar, a 1988-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Kerala cadre, took charge as the 26th Chief Election Commissioner of India on February 19, 2025. He is currently in the news amid a report that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections on multiple occasions over decisions linked to the EC’s functioning and SIR of electoral rolls. However, the Election Commission, stated that its final decisions are taken unanimously and that differing views during deliberations are part of the normal decision-making process. (PTI/File)
Before heading the Election Commission of India, Gyanesh Kumar spent nearly four decades in the civil services, holding several key positions at both the state and central levels. After joining the IAS, Kumar served in several administrative positions in Kerala. His postings included District Collector of Ernakulam and Municipal Commissioner of the Corporation of Cochin. He also served as Managing Director of the Kerala State Cooperative Bank and held other positions linked to development and infrastructure. (File Photo)
Kumar is an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur. He completed his B.Tech in Civil Engineering from IIT Kanpur in 1985. He later studied Business Finance at ICFAI and Environmental Economics at Harvard University, according to his profile. In 2025, the IIT conferred its Distinguished Alumni Award on Kumar for his contributions in transformational policy, administrative expertise and electoral governance. (Image: X/@SpokespersonECI)
Kumar later moved to the Union government, where he held several senior positions. He served as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Defence and later as Joint Secretary and Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs. He subsequently served as Secretary in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Secretary in the Ministry of Cooperation. (Image: X/@SpokespersonECI)
Kumar superannuated from government service on January 31, 2024. He was appointed Election Commissioner on March 15, 2024, and oversaw the 2024 Lok Sabha elections during his tenure. On February 19, 2025, he assumed charge as the 26th Chief Election Commissioner of India. (File Photo)
