The government appointed former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu as election commissioners on Thursday, setting the stage for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. The Ministry of Law and Justice issued a notification announcing the appointments of Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu to the Election Commission (EC).
Selection committee meeting
Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a selection committee meeting earlier in the day to recommend their names for the positions of election commissioners.
Vacancies in the election commission
The appointments come following the retirement of Anup Chandra Pandey on February 14 and the sudden resignation of Arun Goel on March 8, which resulted in vacancies in the Election Commission.
Incoming commissioners' background
Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, both 1988-batch IAS officers, hail from the Kerala and Uttarakhand cadres, respectively. They are expected to assume office on Friday.
Upcoming general elections
The 2024 Lok Sabha elections, along with polls for four state assemblies, are anticipated to take place in April-May. There are indications that the Election Commission may announce the schedule for these elections as early as this Friday.
Dissent note by Congress leader
During the selection panel meeting, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury submitted a dissent note, raising concerns over the selection process for the election commissioners.
Professional background of Gyanesh Kumar
Gyanesh Kumar, an IIT-Kanpur graduate with a postgraduate degree in economics from Harvard University, played a pivotal role in overseeing the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. He also led successful evacuation operations during his tenure as the resident commissioner of Kerala in Delhi.
Professional background of Sukhbir Singh Sandhu
Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, a former chief secretary of Uttarakhand, was instrumental in the ideation for implementing the Uniform Civil Code in the state. He has a medical degree from the Amritsar Medical College and holds a master's degree in history. Sandhu has extensive experience in various roles, including chairman of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and additional secretary in the central government's higher education department.
The appointment of Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu as election commissioners marks a significant development ahead of the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls. Their diverse professional backgrounds and extensive experience are expected to contribute to the smooth conduct of the electoral process.
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