The North News
New Delhi, February 19
After assuming office, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Wednesday emphasised the significance of voting in nation-building, urging all eligible citizens to participate in elections. ” Voting is the first step in nation-building. Every Indian aged 18 and above should register as a voter and always cast their vote,” he said in his message to the electorate. He reassured voters that the Election Commission, in line with constitutional provisions and electoral laws, remains committed to upholding free and fair elections. Kumar, who took over as Election Commissioner in March 2024, oversaw the 18th Lok Sabha elections as well as state and union territory polls in Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and Delhi.
A 1988-batch IAS officer from the Kerala cadre, Kumar has extensive experience in governance at both state and central levels. His central government roles included positions in the ministries of Defence, Home Affairs, Parliamentary Affairs, and Cooperation. In Kerala, he headed key departments such as Finance, Public Works, and Civil Supplies, also serving as District Collector of Ernakulam and Municipal Commissioner of Cochin.
An IIT Kanpur graduate in Civil Engineering, Kumar further studied Business Finance at ICFAI and Environmental Economics at Harvard University.
