Why did Arun Goel resign out of the blue ahead of Lok Sabha polls? Mediainsights.in

His tenure was till December 5, 2027, and he would have become Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) after incumbent Rajiv Kumar retired in February next year.

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According to a report by NDTV citing sources, the announcement of Lok Sabha election dates, expected next week, is uncertain due to Goel’s resignation. According to top officials, Goel resigned citing personal reasons, despite efforts from the government to persuade him otherwise. Speculation about health being a factor in his resignation was dismissed, with officials confirming that Goel is in “perfect health”.

According to a notification from the law ministry, President Droupadi Murmu has accepted Goel’s resignation, effective from Saturday. The reason for his resignation remains undisclosed.

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Goel, a retired bureaucrat, served as a 1985-batch IAS officer of the Punjab cadre. He joined the Election Commission in November 2022.

With the retirement of Anup Chandra Pandey in February and Goel’s resignation, the three-member Election Commission is now reduced to only one member, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar.

Under the new law governing the appointment of Chief Election Commissioners and Election Commissioners, a search committee led by the law minister and comprising two union secretaries will compile a list of five candidates.

Last year, the Supreme Court dismissed a petition challenging Goel’s appointment as an election commissioner, noting that a constitutional bench of the apex court had already addressed the matter.

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A five-judge constitution bench, led by Justice KM Joseph (now retired), examined the file concerning Goel’s appointment but declined to annul it, although it did make certain observations.

In March of the previous year, the bench led by Justice Joseph instructed the government to enact legislation regarding the appointment of Chief Election Commissioners and Election Commissioners.

The Congress party expressed “deep concern” regarding Goel’s resignation, warning that if the “systematic decimation” of independent institutions is not halted, democracy could be overtaken by dictatorship.