Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar is currently at the centre of a political controversy surrounding the electoral process and the implementation of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Media reports have alleged that Gyanesh Kumar disregarded the advice of fellow Election Commissioners while taking several key decisions at the Election Commission. The allegations have not been independently verified.
The Indian Express reported that Election Commissioners Vivek Joshi and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu described certain changes as "illegal" and "unauthorised" and called for their immediate revocation in the interest of new voters.
However, the Election Commission, headed by CEC Gyanesh Kumar, incorporated the changes into Form 6, which is used by first-time voters to register. The move triggered controversy in July.
Meanwhile, Gyanesh Kumar's elder daughter, Medha Roopam, the District Magistrate of Noida, was recently in the news after the Allahabad High Court directed her to pay compensation in a case.
Civil Servants In Gyanesh Kumar's Family
Apart from Gyanesh Kumar and Medha Roopam, several other members of his family are civil servants holding key positions.
Here is a look at Gyanesh Kumar's family members and their respective positions.
Gyanesh Kumar Is A 1988-Batch IAS Officer
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar is a 1988-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Kerala cadre. After completing his BTech in Civil Engineering from IIT Kanpur, he pursued Business Finance from ICFAI, India, and Environmental Economics from Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government.
He cleared the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination and joined the IAS. During his career in the Government of India, he served as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Defence; Joint Secretary and Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs; Secretary in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs; and Secretary in the Ministry of Cooperation.
He retired on January 31, 2024, and was appointed Election Commissioner in the Election Commission of India (ECI) on March 15, 2024. He subsequently became the Chief Election Commissioner.
Noida DM Medha Roopam
Medha Roopam, the Noida District Magistrate, is Gyanesh Kumar's elder daughter. She has also won a medal at a shooting championship.
She later pursued a bachelor's degree in Economics while preparing for the UPSC Civil Services Examination.
Roopam secured the 10th rank in the UPSC Civil Services Examination in 2013 and subsequently joined the IAS. After serving in several districts in Uttar Pradesh, she was appointed Noida District Magistrate.
Younger Daughter Abhishri Is Also An IRS Officer
Gyanesh Kumar's younger daughter, Abhishri, is an Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer.
She graduated from St Stephen's College, Delhi, and later cleared the UPSC Civil Services Examination in 2017 with 297 All India Rank, and was selected for the IRS.
Abhishree is currently posted as an Assistant Commissioner in the Income Tax Department.
Both Sons-In-Law Are Also IAS Officers
His elder son-in-law, Manish Bansal, who is married to Medha Roopam, is an IAS officer and is currently serving as the District Magistrate of Agra.
A 2014-batch IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, Bansal studied BTech and MTech at IIT Delhi before joining the civil services after securing the 53rd rank in the UPSC Civil Services Examination.
Gyanesh Kumar's younger son-in-law, Akshay Labroo, is also an IAS officer. Labroo and Abhishree were batchmates and met during their training. They married in 2020.
Labroo, who hails from Jammu and Kashmir, graduated from the University of Delhi and pursued his master's degree at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). He cleared the UPSC Civil Services Examination in his first attempt in 2017.
Other Family Members Also Hold Senior Positions
Other members of Gyanesh Kumar's family also hold senior positions in government. His brother, Manish Kumar, is an IRS officer, while his brother-in-law, Upendra Jain, is a 1991-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer.
