Ahead of the crucial Lok Sabha polls 2024, Election Commissioner Arun Goel has tendered his resignation and the same has also been accepted by President Droupadi Murmu.
A gazette notification, issued by Law Ministry on Saturday, read, ” 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 Shri Arun Goel, Election Commissioner with effect from the 09th March, 2024.”
Goel’s resignation leaves the three-member Election Commission of India in the hands of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) without any election commissioners.
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The Election Commission is a constitutional body and consists of Chief Election Commissioner and two Election Commissioners. There was already one vacant post of Election Commissioner after Anup Pandey retired in February this year.
The poll body is currently preparing for the all-important Lok Sabha elections, scheduled to be held between April and May this.
Goel’s resignation amid the poll preparations comes as a surprise to many as he had three years left in his tenure. He was appointed as Elections Commissioner of India on November 21, 2022.
Reacting to Goel’s resignation, Trinamool Congress national spokesperson Saket Gokhale in a post on X wrote: “In a sudden move, Election Commissioner Arun Goel has abruptly resigned. The post of the other EC is vacant. That leaves the Election Commission now with just 1 Chief Election Commissioner.”
Attacking the BJP government at the Centre, he said: “The Modi Government has introduced a new law where Election Commissioners will now be appointed with a majority vote of PM Modi & 1 Minister chosen by him. Ergo, before 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Modi will now appoint 2 out of the 3 Election Commissioners after today’s resignation. This is very very concerning.”
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