Kotpad 23rd January 2025 Anchal Kumar Jyoti, born on January 23, 1953, is a retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the 1975 Gujarat cadre. He served as the 21st Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India from July 6, 2017, to January 23, 2018.
Education and Early Career: Jyoti holds both Bachelor of Science (BSc) and Master of Science (MSc) degrees in Chemistry. Throughout his career, he held several key positions in the Gujarat state government, including:
Chief Secretary of Gujarat from December 31, 2009, to January 31, 2013, under then-Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
Additional Chief Secretary (General Administration).
Principal Secretary (Finance).
Managing Director of Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam.
Secretary (Industries), Secretary (Revenue), and Secretary (Water Supplies).
District Magistrate and Collector of Kheda, Panchmahals, and Surendranagar districts.
At the national level, he served as the Chairman of the Kandla Port Trust.
Role in the Election Commission: Jyoti was appointed as an Election Commissioner of India on May 13, 2015. He later ascended to the position of Chief Election Commissioner on July 6, 2017, succeeding Syed Nasim Ahmad Zaidi. During his tenure, he oversaw several significant elections, including:
16 state assembly elections, with five conducted under his leadership as CEC.
The presidential and vice-presidential elections.
His term as CEC concluded on January 23, 2018, upon reaching the age of 65, as mandated by the Election Commission’s regulations.
Recent Appointment: In December 2024, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) appointed Achal Kumar Jyoti as the electoral officer for its upcoming elections to fill the positions of secretary and treasurer.
Controversies: During the 2017 Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat legislative assembly elections, Jyoti faced criticism for delaying the announcement of Gujarat’s election dates. He attributed the delay to ongoing flood relief work in the state. However, reports indicated that the relief efforts had been completed weeks prior, leading to questions about the validity of his explanation.
Additionally, during the Gujarat Assembly elections in December 2017, the Election Commission issued a notice to Rahul Gandhi for allegedly violating the model code of conduct by giving an interview to a Gujarati news channel. The Indian National Congress contended that the Commission overlooked similar actions by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP President Amit Shah, and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.
Personal Life: Achal Kumar Jyoti resides in New Delhi, India.
For a visual overview of his appointment as India’s Chief Election Commissioner, you may watch the following video: