NEW DELHI: The Union government on Monday named Gyanesh Kumar, the senior of the two election commissioners, as the next Chief Election Commissioner, and Haryana chief secretary Vivek Joshi as Election Commissioner after a meeting of the PM-led selection committee in which leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi is believed to have submitted a dissent note. The govt earlier did not agree to Rahul’s request to defer the panel’s meeting.
Joshi is a 1989 batch IAS officer and had recently returned to his parent cadre. He was earlier secretary in the departments of financial services and personnel.
Gyanesh Kumar replaces Rajiv Kumar, whose term ended on Monday. By convention, the senior EC is appointed CEC.
The selection committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi which met here on Monday recommended the name of the next chief election commissioner to President Droupadi Murmu.
Besides Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi are part of the panel. Incumbent CEC Rajiv Kumar demits office on Tuesday on attaining the age of 65 years.
