A high-level meeting to appoint the next Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) will take place on February 17, a day before the retirement of incumbent CEC Rajiv Kumar, sources told News18. Among the frontrunners for the top post is former bureaucrat Gyanesh Kumar.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi will participate in the crucial selection meeting. The search panel is expected to present a shortlist of five candidates chosen from a pool of over 480 applicants.
Gyanesh Kumar Emerges as a Strong Contender
Gyanesh Kumar, a 1988-batch IAS officer from the Kerala cadre, has previously worked closely with Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He retired as Secretary in the Ministry of Cooperation on January 31, 2024.
According to reports, Kumar played a key role in several high-profile decisions under the Modi government. He was posted as Joint Secretary in the Kashmir Division of the Home Ministry when Article 370 was revoked in August 2019. Later, in 2020, he oversaw Supreme Court-related matters concerning the Ayodhya verdict and the formation of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.
As the selection process nears its conclusion, all eyes will be on the final decision regarding India's next Chief Election Commissioner.
