Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar is set to demit office on Tuesday (18 February, 2025). Now the big question is who will take charge as the new CEC and oversee several crucial upcoming elections across the country. A high-level meeting to decide the new chief of the poll body is likely to take place on Monday.
Rajiv Kumar’s tenure
Rajiv Kumar, 64, was appointed as the CEC in May 2022. Notably, the upper age limit for the CEC is 65 years.
During Kumar’s tenure, he oversaw several major elections, including the Lok Sabha election in April-June last year and Jammu and Kashmir’s first Assembly election in over a decade.
The recently-concluded Delhi Assembly election was the last of his nearly-three-year tenure.
How is the CEC chosen?
According to the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023, a search committee recommends five secretary-level officers to be considered by a selection committee.
The selection committee comprises the Prime Minister, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and a Union Minister nominated by the PM.
The committee meeting on Monday will consist of PM Modi, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, and Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal.
Who is expected to succeed?
The search committee reportedly considered nearly 500 candidates before shortlisting five names for the new CEC. Gyanesh Kumar, the senior-most election officer after CEC Rajiv Kumar, is seen as a frontrunner for the top post
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With Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar set to exit, know who will likely succeed him
