From the DeskArun Goel, the Election Commissioner, has submitted his resignation, leaving only Rajiv Kumar, the CEC, in the office.
On November 21, 2022, Arun Goel took on the role of Election Commissioner (EC) of India.
No official statement has been released regarding Goel’s resignation or the process for selecting new ECs.
According to a Gazette notification released on Saturday, Election Commissioner Arun Goel has abruptly stepped down from his role, and the President has promptly accepted his resignation.
The resignation of the Election Commissioner, Anup Pandey, coincided with the announcement of the Lok Sabha polls and occurred within a month of his retirement. This has left Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar as the sole member of the three-member commission.
The Union Law and Justice Ministry has released a notification stating that, as per Section 11(1) of The Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023, the President has accepted the resignation of Shri Arun Goel, Election Commissioner, effective from the 9th of March, 2024.
No official explanation has been provided for his resignation or the process for selecting new ECs.
The Lok Sabha and Assembly terms in Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha, and Sikkim are set to expire in June.
Lok Sabha and Assembly elections will be held simultaneously in four states. The election dates were declared on March 10, 2019 and the votes were counted on May 23.
In the midst of controversies, Goel became a member of the ECI team in November 2022. Shortly after on November 18, 2022, Goel, who was a 1985-batch IAS officer, voluntarily retired from service. The following day, the President designated him as the Election Commissioner.
On 21 November 2022, he assumed control of the position and within two days, the Supreme Court requested the Centre to provide the authentic documents pertaining to his appointment.
In August 2023, the appointment of Goel was deemed valid by the Supreme Court, as they stated that a previous Constitution bench had already reviewed the procedure.
A panel of five judges from the Constitution bench was addressing a group of petitions proposing changes in the procedure of selecting members for the Election Commission of India.
The Supreme Court, on November 24, 2022, postponed its decision and requested both parties to submit written arguments within five days. The SC has repeatedly stated that it does not oppose the selection of Goel, but rather the procedure involved.
The Parliament approved a bill in March 2023 which states that a committee consisting of the Prime Minister, the Leader of Opposition, and Chief Justice of India will be responsible for appointing the Commission of ECE and ECs. This decision was made following a ruling by the Supreme Court.
The commission’s upcoming appointments will be determined by the 2023 Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill.
Inika Manohar
