In an unprecedented move a couple of days before the announcement of the General Elections schedule, Election Commissioner Arun Goel on Saturday late evening resigned from the post.
The three-member Election Commission of India already had a vacancy and will now be left only with Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar.
Goel’s tenure was scheduled to end in December 2027, and on the day when he announced his departure, sources said he worked until 5 pm at Nirvachan Sadan, finalising the minutest details of the schedule.
Goel was in line to replace Rajiv Kumar as the CEC after the latter’s retirement next year.
As per the plan, the Election Commission was to announce the poll dates on Wednesday afternoon following which the Model Code of Conduct would have come into effect.
“In pursuance of clause (1) of Section 11 of The Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023, the President is pleased to accept the resignation tendered by Arun Goel, Election Commissioner, with effect from March 9, 2024,” a gazette notification by the Union Law and Justice Ministry said on Saturday, a copy of which is with The Pioneer.
Goel’s resignation comes at a time when the three-member Commission was down to two after the retirement of Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey in February. With Goel’s resignation being accepted, the poll panel now has only Chief Election Commissioner Kumar.
As per clause (1) of Section 11 of the law, the Chief Election Commissioner or an Election Commissioner may, at any time, resign from office by giving it in writing to the President.
Goel, a former IAS officer, took office as the Election Commissioner on November 21, 2022.
His appointment as EC too had led to a row as he took a voluntary retirement as Secretary in a Ministry of Government of India in November 2022 and that just next day he was appointed as Election Commissioner.
Sources in the Nirvachan Sadan said Goel has cited personal reasons while resigning. The Government made frantic efforts to persuade Goel not to quit, but he insisted.
Government sources said since the election watchdog is left with only one commissioner it would not announce the Lok Sabha schedule and before that the process of appointing other election commissioners to meet the quorum has to be done.
According to the new law on appointment of CEC and ECs passed by Parliament in the last Session, a search committee headed by the Law Minister and comprising two Union Secretaries will shortlist five names. Earlier Goel’s appointment had been challenged in the Supreme Court.
“Minister of Law picks up four names from the list of names shortlisted... The file was put up on November 18; moves the same day. Even the PM recommends the name on the same day. We don’t want any confrontation, but was this done in any haste? What’s the tearing hurry,” the court had asked.
The petition was later dismissed by a two-judge bench last year, which noted that a Constitution Bench had examined the issue but had refused to cancel Goel’s appointment.
During his tenure as Union Heavy Industries Secretary, Goel catalysed the e-vehicle movement in India. He implemented Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Schemes, securing investments worth Rs 67,690 crore against a target of Rs 42,500 crore. Opposition parties called the resignation of EC alarming and concerning when the nation is about to go for polls. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge asked whether it is an Election Commission or Election Omission. “India now has only One Election Commissioner, even as Lok Sabha elections are to be announced in a few days. Why?
“As I have said earlier, if we do not stop the systematic decimation of our independent institutions, our democracy shall be usurped by dictatorship,” Kharge took to social media to react to the development.
He regretted that the ECI will now be among the last Constitutional institutions to fall.
He regretted that ECI will now be among the last Constitutional institutions to fall.
While TMC Ràjya Sabha member Saket Gokhale has termed Goel’s resignation “very very concerning” and pointed out that the panel to pick Election Commissioners now consists of the Prime Minister, a Union Cabinet Minister and the Leader of the Opposition, RJD chief spokesman and a member of Ràjya Sabha Manoj Jha indicated “something fishy” in the episode.
Shiv Sena (Udhhav) Rajya Sabha member Priyanka Chaturvedi sought to know the way the EC resigned and the speed it was accepted.
“Anyone remember this rhyme? Ten Little Soldiers ? Reminded after reading the news on Arun Goel stepping down as EC and the speed with which it has been accepted. It was to be 3 then it was 2 down to 1 …. Heading towards none? Three Little Soldier Boys walking in the zoo; A big bear hugged one and then there were two. Two Little Soldier Boys sitting in the sun; One got frizzled up and then there was One. One Little Soldier Boy left all alone; He went and hanged himself and then there were none,” Chaturvedi quipped and also expressed dismay over the state of affairs in the independent bodies like EC.
