Gyanesh Kumar succeeds Rajiv Kumar, takes charge as poll body chief; says first step for nation building is voting
PTC News Desk: Newly appointed Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has assumed charge while succeeding Rajiv Kumar who held the position for two years. In his first message to the voters, he said that the first step for nation building was voting.
He further stated that in accordance with the Constitution, the electoral laws and rules issued therein, the Election Commission always stood with the voters.
"First step for nation building is voting. Therefore, every citizen of India who has completed 18 years of age should become an elector and should always vote. In accordance with the Constitution of India, electoral laws, rules and instructions issued therein, the Election Commission of India was, is and will always be with the voters," Kumar said.
Gyanesh Kumar is a 1988-batch IAS officer from the Kerala cadre and is senior to the two other commissioners on the three-member panel that was led by Rajiv Kumar. The other commissioner on the panel is Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, an officer from the Uttarakhand cadre and Vivek Joshi. The other newly appointed election commissioner Vivek Joshi also assumed charge as the Election Commissioner in pursuance of Ministry of Law & Justice, Gazette notification dated 17.02.2025. He is a 1989 batch officer of the IAS of Haryana cadre
Meanwhile, Rajiv Kumar, who served as the 25th Chief Election Commissioner of India, bid farewell to the Election Commission of India on Tuesday, describing it as "the place of worship of democracy."
- ANI
