Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has slammed the Narendra Modi government after Election Commissioner Arun Goel’s sudden resignation and expressed concerns over “systematic decimation” of constitutional bodies.

“Election Commission or Election OMISSION? Election Commission of India now has only ONE Election Commissioner, even as Lok Sabha elections are to be announced in few days. Why,” he asked.

“As I have said earlier, if we do NOT stop the systematic decimation of our independent institutions, our DEMOCRACY shall be usurped by DICTATORSHIP! ECI will now be among the last Constitutional institutions to fall. 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 Congress chief said.

Kharge further said that the Modi government must answer these questions and come out with a reasonable explanation.

His remarks came after Goel’s tendered his resignation, leaving the three-member Elections Commission of India with just one Chief Election Commissioner.

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.”

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.