NEW DELHI: Gyanesh Kumar has assumed charge as the 26th Chief Election Commissioner of India.

After assuming charge as CEC, Kumar in his message to the voters said that the first step for nation building is voting and every citizen of India who has completed 18 years of age should become an elector and should always vote. 

He added that in accordance with the Constitution of India, Electoral Laws, Rules and Instructions issued therein, the Election Commission was, is and will always be with the voters.

Gyanesh Kumar took charge as Election Commissioner on 15th of March, 2024. During his tenure as Election Commissioner, elections were held for the 18th Lok Sabha, State/UT Assemblies of Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and NCT of Delhi.

Kumar is a 1988 Batch Indian Administrative Service 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; Additional Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs; Secretary, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs & Ministry of Cooperation.

In the State Government of Kerala, he headed various departments such as Finance Resources; Public Works Department and Food, Civil Supplies & 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.

Kumar is a Civil Engineer from IIT Kanpur and has also studied Business Finance from ICFAI, India and Environmental Economics from Harvard University, USA.