Vivek Joshi’s Appointment as Election Commissioner: A Look at His Career and Achievements

After serving as Chief Secretary of Haryana for just three months, Vivek Joshi, a 1989-batch IAS officer from the Haryana cadre, has been appointed as an Election Commissioner (EC). He will work alongside Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Prakash and fellow EC Sukhbir Singh Sandhu in the newly formed three-member Election Commission.

Joshi’s recent tenure as Chief Secretary began in November 2024, following the retirement of T.V.S.N. Prasad. His repatriation from central deputation to Haryana was sanctioned by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, responding to a request by the Haryana state government.

Before his return to the state, Joshi had a prominent role in the central government as the Secretary of the Department of Personnel and Training in the Union Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions. His central government service, starting in January 2019, also saw him take on key roles, including Secretary of the Department of Financial Services and Registrar General & Census Commissioner of India in the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Joshi’s experience spans both state and central roles. He served in Haryana from 2017 to January 2019, taking leadership positions as Commissioner of Ambala Division, Principal Resident Commissioner (New Delhi), and CEO of the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority. Before his central deputation in 2010, Joshi had already made his mark in Haryana’s administration, rising through the ranks after he was appointed sub-district officer in Gohana in 1991.

His central government career saw Joshi in pivotal positions from 2010 to 2017, working as a Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Women and Child Development. He was also deeply involved in administrative and economic policymaking, contributing to several major projects across departments.

Joshi is expected to retire from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) on May 31, 2026, after nearly 34 years of service, including an impressive 18 years on central deputation. His broad experience in both state and central roles has equipped him with a unique perspective, valuable for his new role in the Election Commission.

A graduate in Mechanical Engineering from IIT Roorkee, Joshi also holds a PhD in International Economics from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, Switzerland. His academic background and diverse administrative experience have positioned him as a key figure in shaping India’s electoral process as part of the Election Commission.