Tue Feb 18 11:01:44 UTC 2025: ## Modi Government Appoints Gyanesh Kumar as New Chief Election Commissioner
**New Delhi:** The government announced the appointment of Gyanesh Kumar as India’s new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) late Monday evening. The three-member selection committee, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, recommended Kumar for the post. A 1988-batch IAS officer of the Kerala cadre, 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.
The appointment has sparked controversy, with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi expressing his displeasure and alleging a lack of transparency in the selection process. Gandhi reportedly submitted a dissent note criticizing the late-night decision. Further fueling the controversy, Dr. Vivek Joshi, the Chief Secretary of Haryana, was also appointed as an Election Commissioner. Reports suggest a close relationship between Dr. Joshi and Prime Minister Modi. The Congress party has yet to formally outline its specific demands regarding the appointments.
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