Gyanesh Kumar: the CEC's IAS career, age and why protesters want him out
Published
A 1988 Kerala-cadre IAS officer, he became the first CEC under the 2023 law on 19 February 2025. Protests over voter-roll deletions now demand his resignation; the Election Commission calls the claims baseless.
Original report
Gyanesh Kumar, India's Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) since 19 February 2025, is a 1988-batch IAS officer of the Kerala cadre, born in Agra on 27 January 1964, which makes him 62 as of 14 October 2026 (Wikipedia, 2026). He is at the centre of protests demanding his resignation over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and mass voter deletions, The South First and Business Standard reported (The South First, 2026; Business Standard, 2026).
The row escalated on 6 October 2026, when INDIA bloc MPs led by Rahul Gandhi marched from Parliament towards the Election Commission of India (ECI) office and police stopped them with barricades and detained MPs, The South First and Onmanorama reported (The South First, 2026; Onmanorama, 2026).
The Election Commission has rejected the main claims. Here is the career, the appointment, the objections and the replies, all on the record.
An IIT engineer turned Kerala-cadre IAS officer
Gyanesh Kumar studied civil engineering at IIT Kanpur, earning a BTech, and joined the IAS in 1988 in the Kerala cadre (Wikipedia, 2026).
His posts, according to his Wikipedia biography, include:
- Assistant Collector, Ernakulam, and Sub-Collector, Adoor, in Kerala.
- Secretary, Public Works Department, Kerala.
- Joint Secretary, Defence Production, from 2007 to 2012.
- Secretary, Parliamentary Affairs, and Secretary, Cooperation, in the Union government.
He became an Election Commissioner in March 2024 (Wikipedia, 2026). The next step is where the debate begins.
The first CEC appointed under the 2023 law
On 19 February 2025 he was appointed India's 26th CEC, the first under the Chief Election Commissioner Act 2023, according to Wikipedia (Wikipedia, 2026).
That makes him the first CEC chosen under the new law's process. The sources we read do not set out how the 2023 Act changed the selection, so we do not describe it here.
His tenure has since become the focus of the SIR dispute.
Why protesters want him to resign
The protests demand his resignation over the SIR of electoral rolls and mass voter deletions; opposition leaders call it "vote theft", The South First and Business Standard reported (The South First, 2026; Business Standard, 2026).
The protest has widened beyond Parliament. Student groups AISA, SFI and NSUI, and the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), joined, and CJP announced protests from 10 October, Onmanorama and Business Standard reported (Onmanorama, 2026; Business Standard, 2026).
The CEC postponed some scheduled programmes amid the protests, Onmanorama reported (Onmanorama, 2026).
A second line of criticism comes from inside the Commission, as media reports describe it.
Reported objections from two Election Commissioners
Media reports said Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi objected at least 14 times in 10 months to SIR decisions, according to Deccan Herald's coverage of the ECI's response (Deccan Herald, 2026).
The ECI disputed that reading. It said the decisions were "the outcome of unanimous decisions of the full Commission" and that differing views are routine, Deccan Herald reported (Deccan Herald, 2026).
The Commission also answered Rahul Gandhi directly.
What the Election Commission says
The ECI called Rahul Gandhi's voter-deletion claims "incorrect and baseless", Deccan Herald reported (Deccan Herald, 2026).
It also said: "No deletion of any vote can be done online" by members of the public, according to the same report (Deccan Herald, 2026).
The dispute over the SIR is also before the courts. Multiple petitions on the SIR are pending in the Supreme Court, Onmanorama reported (Onmanorama, 2026).
How the coverage framed it
Outlets led on different parts of the same story. Onmanorama framed it around the CEC under mounting pressure as protests widen (Onmanorama, 2026). The South First led on the INDIA bloc MPs at Jantar Mantar demanding his resignation (The South First, 2026).
Deccan Herald led on the Commission's side: the ECI rejecting Rahul Gandhi's claim on online deletion (Deccan Herald, 2026). Few reports carry both the career record and the ECI's replies together, which is what this explainer sets out.
What we don't know yet
- The Supreme Court's outcome on the SIR petitions.
- Whether the CEC will respond personally.
- How long the CJP's protest, described as indefinite from 10 October, will run (Onmanorama, 2026).
Questions people are asking
Who is Gyanesh Kumar?
A 1988-batch Kerala-cadre IAS officer and IIT Kanpur civil engineering graduate, born in Agra on 27 January 1964, who has been CEC since 19 February 2025 (Wikipedia, 2026).
How old is Gyanesh Kumar?
He was born on 27 January 1964, so he is 62 as of October 2026 (Wikipedia, 2026).
Why are people protesting against the CEC?
Over the SIR of electoral rolls and mass voter deletions, and reported objections by two Election Commissioners to SIR decisions (The South First, 2026; Deccan Herald, 2026).
What does the Election Commission say?
That its decisions were unanimous decisions of the full Commission, that Rahul Gandhi's claims are "incorrect and baseless", and that no vote can be deleted online by the public (Deccan Herald, 2026).
How was Gyanesh Kumar appointed CEC?
Under the Chief Election Commissioner Act 2023; he is the first CEC appointed under it (Wikipedia, 2026).
References
- Business Standard (2026) CJP to launch protests, seeks CEC Gyanesh Kumar's resignation. Business Standard. Available at: CJP to launch protests, seeks CEC Gyanesh Kumar's resignation (Accessed: 14 October 2026).
- Deccan Herald (2026) No deletion of any vote can be done online by any member of public: EC rejects Rahul Gandhi's claim. Deccan Herald. Available at: EC rejects Rahul Gandhi's claim on online vote deletion (Accessed: 14 October 2026).
- Onmanorama (2026) Gyanesh Kumar faces mounting pressure as protests against EC widen. Onmanorama, 8 October. Available at: Gyanesh Kumar faces mounting pressure as protests against EC widen (Accessed: 14 October 2026).
- The South First (2026) Gyanesh Kumar has to resign: INDIA bloc MPs led by Rahul Gandhi at Jantar Mantar. The South First. Available at: Gyanesh Kumar has to resign: INDIA bloc MPs led by Rahul Gandhi at Jantar Mantar (Accessed: 14 October 2026).
- Wikipedia (2026) Gyanesh Kumar. Wikimedia Foundation. Available at: Gyanesh Kumar (Accessed: 14 October 2026).
How we did this
We built the career timeline from Gyanesh Kumar's Wikipedia biography and set the protesters' demands, as reported by The South First and Onmanorama, against the Election Commission's replies as reported by Deccan Herald. We read them up to 14 October 2026. Business Standard and Deccan Herald could not be opened in full, so we used their headlines and search summaries and attribute every line to them. We left out a figure of alleged voter deletions that we could not trace to a named original source.
This story was produced, reviewed, edited and verified by the reporter before publication, with AI assistance where required.
Covered by 5 outlets across the spectrum: 0% left, 100% center, 0% right.
Who is covering this story
- Center (5): Wikipedia, The South First, Business Standard, Deccan Herald, Onmanorama
Sources
- Gyanesh Kumar - Wikipedia — Wikipedia (center) ·
- 'This is panic reaction': Rahul Gandhi 'guarantees' CEC will be brought to justice as Delhi Police use force against INDIA MPs — The South First (center) ·
- CJP to launch protests from Oct 2, seeks CEC Gyanesh Kumar's resignation — Business Standard (center) ·
- Deletion of vote can't be done online by anyone in public as 'misconceived' by Rahul Gandhi: Election Commission — Deccan Herald (center) ·
- Gyanesh Kumar faces mounting pressure as protests against EC widen — Onmanorama (center) ·