Election Commissioner Arun Goel Steps Down Ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha Elections

By- Kavya Bhatt

Arun Goel, the election commissioner, resigned on Saturday, a few days before the anticipated announcement of the schedule for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Arun Goel was supposed to take over as chief election commissioner (CEC) on December 5, 2027, following the retirement of incumbent Rajiv Kumar in February of that same year.

Mahua Moitra of the Trinamool Congress said on X (formally Twitter), “Why does EC Arun Goel resign right after ECI’s poll review meeting in Kolkata where he left abruptly? Disagreed with Delhi’s diktat on num of phases & excessive force deployment. Will now be replaced by a hand-picked yes man.”

Mr. Goel, an IAS officer from the Punjab cadre who joined the Election Commission in November 2022, is a retired bureaucrat. He was born in 1985.

The dates of the Lok Sabha elections are expected to be revealed next week, according to sources. However, the sudden departure of Mr. Goel has raised questions about the previously planned timeline.

Mallikarjun Kharge, the president of the Congress, questioned the consequences of Mr. Goel's abrupt resignation on social media. He inquired as to whether the Election Commission should be renamed "Election OMISSION" given the current circumstances. 

Now after this, the chief election commissioner or election commissioner will be appointed by the President.