Gyanesh Kumar took over as the 26th Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) on Wednesday and said the Election Commission of India was, is and will always be with the voters.
“The first step for nation building is voting. Therefore every citizen of India who has completed 18 years of age should become an elector and should always vote,” Kumar said in his message to the voters after assuming charge as CEC.
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He said that in accordance with the Constitution of India, electoral laws, rules and instructions issued therein, the ECI was, is and will always be with the voters.
Prior to his appointment as CEC, Kumar served as the Election Commissioner (EC). He took charge as EC on March 15, 2024. During his tenure as EC, elections were held for the 18th Lok Sabha, State/UT Assemblies of Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Delhi.
Kumar is a 1988 Batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) of the Kerala cadre. He has a rich and varied experience working in both central and state governments. At the centre, he held various portfolios including Joint Secretary, Ministry of Defence and Additional Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs.
In Kerala, he headed various departments such as Finance Resources, Public Works Department and Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs. He was also MD of Kerala State Development Corporation for SC/ST and also served as District Collector of Ernakulam and Municipal Commissioner of Cochin Corporation.
Vivek Joshi also assumed charge as the EC. He is a 1989 batch IAS officer of the Haryana cadre.
Prior to this, Joshi served as the Chief Secretary, Government of Haryana and Secretary, Department of Personnel and Training and Department of Financial Services in the Government of India.
