CEC Gyanesh Kumar refers to Gyanesh Kumar, who was appointed as one of the Election Commissioners of India in March 2024. He, along with Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, was selected by a high-level committee chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fill the vacancies in the Election Commission of India (ECI) after the retirement of Anup Chandra Pandey and the sudden resignation of Arun Goel.

Key Details:

• Background: Gyanesh Kumar is a retired IAS officer (1988 batch, Kerala cadre) with extensive experience in public administration.
• Roles: He has held significant positions in the central government, including serving as the Secretary of the Ministry of Cooperation and the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs.
• Appointment: His appointment was part of a new selection process introduced after a Supreme Court ruling in 2023, which mandated a committee including the Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition, and a Union Cabinet Minister for selecting Election Commissioners.

Controversy:

The appointment process faced criticism from the opposition, particularly due to the exclusion of the Chief Justice of India (CJI) from the selection committee, which was seen as a deviation from the Supreme Court’s earlier guidelines.

Gyanesh Kumar’s role as Election Commissioner is crucial, especially with the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections in India. His experience in governance and administration is expected to contribute to the smooth conduct of elections.