Election Commissioner Arun Goel tendered his resignation on Saturday, just days before the anticipated announcement of the schedule for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
President Droupadi Murmu officially accepted Mr. Goel's resignation, effective immediately, according to a notification from the Ministry of Law.
Sources familiar with the matter indicated that Mr. Goel cited "personal reasons" for his resignation, despite government attempts to dissuade him from stepping down.
Speculation regarding health concerns was swiftly dismissed, with top officials affirming Mr. Goel's good health.
Additionally, Election Commission sources disclosed that differences on file had arisen between Mr. Goel and Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar.
With Mr. Goel's departure, the Election Commission of India, comprising three members, now has only Mr. Kumar remaining on the poll panel.
Mr. Goel, a retired bureaucrat and a 1985-batch IAS officer of the Punjab cadre, joined the Election Commission in November 2022.
However, his unexpected resignation has cast doubt on the previously anticipated timeline for announcing the Lok Sabha election dates, which were expected to be announced next week.
The process to appoint a new Chief Election Commissioner involves a search committee led by the Law Minister, along with two Union Secretaries, shortlisting five names.
Subsequently, a selection committee headed by the Prime Minister and including a Union Cabinet Minister nominated by the PM and the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, or the leader of the single-largest opposition party, selects the final candidate.
The President then formally appoints the chosen Chief Election Commissioner or Election Commissioner.
However, the recent enactment of a new law late last year altered the process of appointing the country's top election officers, excluding the Chief Justice of India from the selection process, replacing it with a new rule that the CEC and EC shall be appointed by the President on the recommendation of this selection committee consisting of the Prime Minister, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and a Union Cabinet Minister to be nominated by the Prime Minister.
Meanwhile, opposition parties have criticised Mr. Goel's resignation.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge questioned the implications of the sudden departure and expressed concerns about the influence of the ruling party on constitutional bodies.
"Since the new process of selecting the Election Commissioners have now effectively given all the power to the ruling party and the PM, why has the new Election Commissioner not appointed even after 23 of the completion of latter's tenure?" the senior Congress leader remarked.
Congress General Secretary Organisation KC Venugopal echoed these concerns, emphasising the importance of maintaining the independence of democratic institutions.
Trinamool Congress leader Saket Gokhale also expressed apprehensions about the vacancies in the poll panel ahead of the general elections, highlighting the need for swift appointments to ensure the smooth functioning of the Election Commission.
Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal, a veteran politician and prominent legal figure, didn't hold back in his critique of the institution responsible for supervising the democratic process.
"In the past decade, it appears that the election commission has transformed into a mere extension of the government," he remarked.
In a social media post on X, Sibal expressed, “The path is now paved to fill the Commission with individuals who will simply agree. This trend extends to all institutions fundamental to our Republic!”
Follow us
