List of all Chief Election Commissioners and Election Commissioners of India (1950-2025)

A selection committee, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has appointed Gyanesh Kumar as India's new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC). He will replace Rajiv Kumar, who is set to retire on Tuesday upon turning 65.

Rajiv Kumar, who assumed the role of CEC in May 2022, played a crucial role in overseeing key elections, including the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and multiple state assembly elections. His tenure focused on strengthening electoral transparency and encouraging greater voter participation. With his retirement, Gyanesh Kumar will now take charge of the Election Commission of India (ECI), bringing in new leadership.

Election Commissioner Shri Gyanesh Kumar appointed as the Chief Election Commissioner of India with effect from 19.02.25#ECI #CEC pic.twitter.com/NhfVRxTI43

— Spokesperson ECI (@SpokespersonECI) February 17, 2025

Chief Election Commissioner Of India - Brief

The Chief Election Commissioner of India is the head of the Election Commission of India. The President of India appoints the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India who has a tenure of 6 years or up to 65 years, whichever is earlier. The CEC of India is usually a member of the Indian Civil Service and mostly from the Indian Administrative Service.

By the Election Commission (Condition Of Service Of Election Commissions And Transaction Of Business) Act, 1991, the salary of the chief election commissioner is the same as the salary of a Judge of the Supreme Court of India. Currently, the salary of CEC is ₹250,000 per month.

It is very difficult to remove the Chief Election Commissioner once appointed by the President of India, as two-thirds of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha members need to vote against CEC for disorderly conduct or improper actions.

List of all the Chief Election Commissioners of India

Election Commissioner of India - Brief

Until October 1989, the commission was a single-member body, but later two additional Election Commissioners were added through an act of parliament. Thus, the Election Commission currently consists of a Chief Election Commissioner and two other Election Commissioners. The decisions of the commission are taken by a majority vote.

History

Originally in 1950, the commission had only a Chief Election Commissioner. Two additional Commissioners were appointed to the commission for the first time on 16 October 1989 but they hardly settled down with their constitutional work, so the President on January 1, 1990, issued a notification abolishing the post of ECs. The government again made the Election Commission a 3-member body on October 1, 1993. The Election Commissioner Amendment Act, 1989 made the Commission a multi-member body. The concept of a 3-member Commission has been in operation since then, with the decisions being made by a majority vote. The official website was introduced on 28 February 1998.

List of all the Election Commissioners of India

Who is Gyanesh Kumar? 

Source: Election Commission of India

Gyanesh Kumar is a 1988 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from the Kerala cadre. He holds a B.Tech in Civil Engineering from IIT Kanpur and has further studied Business Finance at ICFAI, India, and Environmental Economics at Harvard University, USA.

Throughout his career, he has held several key positions in the Government of Kerala, including Assistant Collector of Ernakulam, Sub Collector of Adoor, and District Collector of Ernakulam. He has also served as the MD of Kerala State Development Corporation for SC/ST, Kerala State Cooperative Bank, and Trivandrum Airport Development Society. Additionally, he has been the Municipal Commissioner of Cochin, Director of Industries and Commerce, Secretary of the Goshree Islands Development Authority, and Project Director of the Kerala State Transport Project. He also served as the Resident Commissioner of Kerala House in New Delhi.

Electoral Reforms in India

Election Commission of India

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