President appoints former IAS officers Gyanesh Kumar, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu as new Election Commissioners

President Droupadi Murmu on March 14 appointed retired IAS officers Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu as the new Election Commissioners. The two names were picked by a panel chaired by that met here in the national capital earlier in the day. 

"In exercise of powers conferred by section 4 of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023 (Act No. 49 of 2023), the President is pleased to appoint Shri Gyanesh Kumar, IAS(Retd.) and Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, IAS(Retd.) as Election Commissioners in the Election Commission of India, with effect from the date they assume charge of their office," read a gazette notification issued by Union Ministry of Law and Justice. 

The two vacancies in the were created after the retirement of Anup Chandra Pandey in February and the surprise resignation of Arun Goel recently, days ahead of Lok Sabha polls 2024.

Gyanesh Kumar will replace Rajiv Kumar as the next Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) in February 2025.  

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The Election Commission is expected to announce the schedule for the April- May Lok Sabha polls in one of these days. The new commissioners will join their offices to help the poll body conduct these polls. The two appointments come day before the Supreme Court is slated to hear petitions the selection process.

is a 1988-batch IAS officer from the Kerala cadre. Kumar, 60, has worked with Union Home Minister before. He retired as secretary in the Ministry of Cooperation, which comes under Amit Shah, on January 31, 2024. Before that, he also served as the secretary in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs

is also 1998 batch IAS officer but  from Uttarakhand cadre. Sandhu has served