New Delhi: In a significant move before the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, the Central Government has announced the appointment of two seasoned administrators, Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, as Election Commissioners. This decision was ratified by a high-level committee chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, filling the vacancies for two commissioner posts in the Election Commission.
Gyanesh Kumar: A Stalwart in Administration
Gyanesh Kumar, a retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the 1988 Kerala cadre, has had a distinguished career. Notably, he was at the helm of the Kashmir Division in the Union Home Ministry during the pivotal abrogation of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir, a historic move by the Central Government on August 5, 2019. His administrative acumen was further recognized when he was appointed as the Secretary of the Ministry of Cooperation in May 2022, after serving as the Secretary of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs. Kumar succeeded Devendra Kumar Singh, another Kerala cadre IAS officer, who was appointed as the General Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission. Remarkably, Kumar’s tenure was extended beyond his retirement, which concluded on January 31, 2024.
Sukhbir Singh Sandhu: A Diverse Portfolio in Governance
Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, also a retired IAS officer, belongs to the 1998 batch of the Uttarakhand cadre. His leadership qualities were evident when he served as the Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand during Pushkar Singh Dhami’s tenure as Chief Minister in 2021. Sandhu’s career has been marked by versatility, having chaired the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and served as an Additional Secretary in the Higher Education Department of the Human Resource Ministry. His academic credentials are equally impressive, holding an MBBS degree from Government Medical College, Amritsar, a Master’s degree in History from Guru Nanak Dev University, and a law degree. Sandhu’s intellectual contributions include research papers on ‘Urban Reforms’ and ‘Municipal Management and Capacity Building’.
The appointments of Kumar and Sandhu come at a crucial time as the nation prepares for the Lok Sabha elections, and their extensive experience in public administration is expected to be an asset to the Election Commission.
