Gyanesh Kumar assumed charge as the 26th chief election commissioner (CEC) on Wednesday, giving a message to the citizens that the “first step for nation building is voting”.
He succeeded Rajiv Kumar at the top post of the Election Commission of India after the latter demitted the office on Tuesday.
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The Union law ministry had on Monday announced the appointment of Gyanesh as the new chief election commissioner. He became the first CEC to be appointed under the new law on appointment of election commissioners.
After assuming charge, in his first message as the CEC, Gyanesh Kumar said that the first step for nation building is “voting”, urging every citizen of the age 18 and above to become an elector and cast their vote. He further affirmed that the Election Commission, in accordance with the Constitution of India, Electoral Laws, Rules and Instructions issued therein, “will always be with the voters”.
