NEW DELHI, Mar 9
Just days before the announcement of the Lok Sabha elections schedule, Election Commissioner Arun Goel resigned from the post on Saturday. His tenure was till December 2027.
“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,” a gazette notification by the Union Law and Justice Ministry said on Saturday. As per clause (1) of Section 11 of the law, the Chief Election Commissioner or an Election Commissioner may, at any time, resign from office by giving it in writing to the President.
Goel’s resignation comes at a time when the three-member Commission was down to two after the retirement of Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey in February. With Goel’s resignation being accepted, the poll panel has now only Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar.
Goel, a former IAS officer, took office as the Election Commissioner on November 21, 2022. His appointment as EC sparked a controversy as he was the Union Heavy Industries Secretary when he took voluntary retirement from the Indian Administrative Services on November 18, 2022.
A day later, he was appointed to the Commission.
