Election Commissioner Arun Goel resigns ahead of Lok Sabha elections 2024
- Arun Goel was next in line to become the chief election commissioner (CEC) as incumbent Rajiv Kumar is set to retire in February 2025
Ahead of the announcement of the dates of the Lok Sabha elections 2024, Election Commissioner of India Arun Goel stepped down from his position and his resignation was accepted by the President of India. Arun Goel was next in line to become the chief election commissioner (CEC) as incumbent Rajiv Kumar is set to retire in February 2025.
"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 gazette notification issued by the Law Ministry said on Saturday.
The resignation of Arun Goel leaves CEC Rajiv Kumar as the sole election commissioner in India before the crucial Lok Sabha elections.
Who is Arun Goel?
Arun Goel is a 1985-batch officer from the Indian Administrative Services (IAS) who served in the Punjab cadre. In 2022, Arun Goel took voluntary retirement and was later appointed as an Election Commissioner of India.
His appointment came months ahead of the crucial Assembly elections in Gujarat and a number of other states. The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) also filed a plea in the Supreme Court against his appointment as they were demanding a more transparent process in the appointment of the Election Commissioners in India.
“The writ petition is being filed in public interest challenging the appointment of Sh. Arun Goel as Election Commissioner vide notification dated November 19, 2022, on the ground that the appointment is arbitrary and violative of institutional integrity and independence of Election Commission Of India…,” the plea said.
Supreme Court made some strong observations on his appointment and said it was mystified on how Arun Goel took voluntary retirement before joining the election commission. But, the apex court stopped short of disrupting his appointment and dismissed the ADR's plea.