Mon Feb 17 18:53:47 UTC 2025: ## Gyanesh Kumar Appointed India’s Next Chief Election Commissioner Amidst Controversy

**New Delhi** – Gyanesh Kumar, a senior Election Commissioner, has been appointed as India’s next Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), the government announced late Tuesday. His tenure will begin on January 26, 2029. This appointment comes amidst ongoing legal challenges to the process and objections from the Congress party.

Kumar, a 1988-batch IAS officer from the Kerala cadre, will oversee crucial elections in five states – West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, and Assam – in the coming years, including the Bihar Assembly elections later this year and elections in the other states in 2026. His term will also encompass 20 Assembly elections, presidential and vice-presidential elections in 2027, and preparations for the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.

The selection followed a meeting of a committee comprising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi. However, the Congress voiced its dissent, citing a pending Supreme Court case challenging the legality of the new law governing CEC appointments. The Congress alleges the government is seeking to control the Election Commission and compromise its credibility.

The government defended its decision, stating that postponing the appointment would create a vacancy in the commission. They maintained that the court had not stayed the appointment process and that legal advice was sought before proceeding.

The appointment process has been significantly altered by the Chief Election Commissioner And Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service And Term of Office) Act, 2023. This law, which replaced the previous system where the President appointed the CEC on the Prime Minister’s advice, has been challenged in court. The petitioners argue that replacing the Chief Justice of India, as stipulated in the Supreme Court’s guidelines, with a cabinet minister in the selection committee undermines the balance of power and impartiality. The Supreme Court will hear the case on Saturday.

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