Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s key roles in J&K reorganisation, Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust | Latest News India

Gyanesh Kumar appointed CEC: Gyanesh Kumar, the newly appointed Chief Election Commissioner, had played a key role after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 and the bifurcation of Jammu & Kashmir into the two Union territories of Ladakh and J&K an additional secretary in the ministry of home affairs between 2018 and 2021.

Gyanesh Kumar was also given the responsibility to formulate the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill by the Narendra Modi government. The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill was one of the most secretive Bills ever brought by a government.

Also Read | Who is Gyanesh Kumar, the new chief election commissioner?

Gyanesh Kumar was also involved in the setting up the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.

On Monday, Gyanesh Kumar, who took charge as an election commissioner on March 15, 2024, was appointed as the next CEC, hours after the Congress asked the government to defer its decision till the Supreme Court concludes its hearing on a petition challenging the composition of the selection panel.

Kumar is the first CEC to be appointed under a new law on the appointment of the members of the Election Commission (EC).

His term will run till January 26, 2029, days before the EC is expected to announce the schedule of the next Lok Sabha election.

The Congress’s demand was put forth by Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi during a meeting of the selection panel chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, news agency PTI reported, citing sources.

The meeting was held in the South Block office of the prime minister. Besides PM Modi and Rahul Gandhi, Union home minister Amit Shah is the third member of the selection panel.

5 facts about Gyanesh Kumar, Chief Election Commissioner

1. Gyanesh Kumar is a 1988-batch Kerala-cadre IAS officer.
2. After completing his B Tech in civil engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur, he studied business finance in ICFAI, India and Environmental Economics in HIID, Harvard University, US.
3. Gyanesh Kumar has worked in the government of Kerala as the assistant collector of Ernakulam, sub-collector of Adoor, managing director of the Kerala state development corporation for SC/ST, municipal commissioner of the Corporation of Cochin, besides holding other posts.
4. As a secretary to the government of Kerala, Kumar handled diverse departments, such as finance resources, fast-track projects and the public works department.
5. In the government of India, Gyanesh Kumar has rich experience of working as the joint secretary in the ministry of defence, joint secretary and additional secretary in the ministry of home affairs, secretary in the ministry of Parliamentary affairs and secretary in the ministry of cooperation. He superannuated on January 31, 2024.

(With inputs from PTI)