Gyanesh Kumar has been named as the new chief election commissioner, Union law ministry announced on Monday. He will replace Rajiv Kumar, who will demit office on Tuesday after attaining the age of 65.
Chief election commissioners have a tenure of six years or until they turn 65, whichever is earlier. Kumar became the first CEC to be appointed under new law on appointment of election commissioners.
Gyanesh Kumar’s name was picked by a selection committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah and leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi.
The committee met earlier this evening at the Prime Minister’s Office in South Block. It recommended the name from among the candidates shortlisted by a search committee.
Dr. Vivek Joshi, IAS of the 1989 batch, has been appointed as Election Commissioner, with effect from the date he assumes charge of his office, according to the announcement.
Earlier today, Congress suggested that the government adjourn the meeting to select the chief election commissioner until the Supreme Court hears a petition on the constitution of the selection panel on February 19.
Addressing a press conference soon after the meeting, Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi said that by removing the Chief Justice of India from the selection committee, the government has made it clear “it wants control and not preserve the credibility of the Election Commission”.
“It is our suggestion that the Central government adjourn this meeting until after the hearing AND instruct its counsels to appear and assist the court so that the hearing may be an effective one. Only then, can a decision be taken in earnest,” Singhvi said.
He added that the Chief Election Commissioner and the Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Office, Terms of Office), Act 2023 creates “a partisan mechanism” for selecting Election Commissioners.
“At the outset, we cannot ignore that this Committee is in clear and direct violation of the Supreme Court’s Judgement of March 2nd, 2023 where a Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court in Anoop Baranwal v. Union of India declared that the CEC and the EC’s should be appointed by a Committee comprising of the PM, the LOP and the CJI,” he said.