New Delhi:

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Saturday steered clear of a question on last week’s shock resignation of Arun Goel as an Election Commissioner – days before the poll panel was to announce Lok Sabha election dates – telling NDTV “… he had personal reasons”. 

He also rejected talk of an acrimonious departure, calling his former colleague “a very distinguished member of the team” and someone with whom he “enjoyed working”.

“Arun Goel was a very distinguished member of the team and I thoroughly enjoyed working with him. But, in every institution, everyone must be given personal space, and that should not be touched. He had his reasons, and you should ask him about it,” Mr Kumar said.

“But let me be clear… we have a very sound tradition of not stifling dissent within the four walls of the ECI. This (the planning and conduct of elections) is a very complicated exercise… and three minds are always better than one…” he added.

Last week, when Mr Goel said he was stepping down, sources told NDTV he too had cited “personal reasons”, and said the government had persuaded to reconsider. 

READ | Why Election Commissioner Arun Goel Resigned Weeks Before 2024 Polls

He also dismissed speculation ill health had forced to resign. 

Mr Goel was appointed in November 2022; this was a day after he quit the Indian Administrative Service. The Supreme Court had asked then “what is the tearing hurry?”

He was to have served till 2027; in fact, Mr Goel was in line to replace Rajiv Kumar as the Chief Election Commissioner after the latter retires next year.

After Arun Goel’s resignation, Mr Kumar was the only person on the three-member poll panel till two new officers were inducted – ex-civil servants Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu. They replaced Mr Goel and Anup Pandey, whose term expired in February.

READ | Lok Sabha Elections From April 19 In 7 Phases, Results On June 4

The Election Commission this afternoon announced the schedule for the 2024 Lok Sabha Assembly election and for state polls in Arunachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Sikkim, as well as bypolls to 26 Assembly constituencies across 13 states.

Polling for all begins on April 19, with the general election spread over seven phases. Results for all elections will be declared on June 4.

New Delhi:

Arun Goel stirred up a row yesterday when he abruptly resigned from the Election Commission just weeks ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. His exit has left the three-member Election Commission of India with only one office-bearer – Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar.

While he stated “personal reasons” in his resignation letter, sources have told NDTV that differences with the CEC could have prompted the exit.

The sudden announcement has ignited a political firestorm, with the Congress asserting that Mr Goel’s departure is indicative of the government’s reluctance to ensure a “free and fair election.”

But this is not the first time that Arun Goel has made the headlines.

Arun Goel, a 1985-batch IAS officer, took voluntary retirement on November 18, 2022. Merely a day later, he assumed the role of Election Commissioner, a post which had been lying vacant for six months. At the time of his retirement from IAS, he was serving as the secretary in the Ministry of Heavy Industries.

The Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging Mr Goel’s appointment, arguing that it was arbitrary and undermined the institutional integrity and independence of the Election Commission of India. ADR contended that Mr Goel’s foresight in seeking voluntary retirement ahead of his appointment raised questions about the entire process.

During the hearing, the Supreme Court also raised concerns about the speed of his appointment. The bench questioned the “tearing hurry” with which the Minister of Law and the Prime Minister recommended Mr Goel’s name, emphasizing the need for a transparent and deliberate process.

However, in August 2023, the court dismissed the petition, stating that a Constitution bench had previously deliberated on the issue and decided against cancelling the appointment.

The Election Commission was expected to announce the date for the 2024 general elections before March 13, but sources say that Mr Goel’s exit might delay the announcement.

The three-member Election Commission, at the moment, has just one active member: Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar. Reason: the shock resignation of Election Commissioner Arun Goel on Saturday coupled with another vacancy (retirement of Anup Pandey in February).

The resignation, which has been accepted by the President, comes weeks before the Lok Sabha elections.

The Lok Sabha polls are to be held in April-May. The dates were expected to be announced sometime next week, sources had told NDTV.

It is not clear what was the provocation behind Mr Goel’s shock resignation. Mr Goel, 61, had a tenure until 2027 and was in line to replace Rajiv Kumar as the Chief Election Commissioner after the latter’s retirement next year.

Mr Goel, a 1985-batch IAS officer of the Punjab cadre, had joined the Election Commission in November 2022.

Sources have indicated there have been differences on various issues and it would be best for the Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar to explain. Top officials said Mr Goel cited personal reasons while resigning.

“The government will start the process of appointing other election commissioners,” said an official.

Late last year, the Centre enacted a law that excluded the Chief Justice of India from the process to appoint the country’s top election officers. The top poll officers are now to be appointed by the President on the recommendation of a panel comprising the Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and a Union Cabinet Minister nominated by the Prime Minister.

Before that a search committee, consisting of the law minister and two secretaries will have to short list five names for the selection committee headed by the Prime Minister to chose from.

The top poll body was set to visit Jammu and Kashmir from Monday to Wednesday to assess when polls can be held in the Union Territory, sources had told NDTV. Sources added that the Lok Sabha poll dates were to be announced right after the completion of J&K visit.

New Delhi:

Election Commissioner Arun Goel resigned this evening weeks before the Lok Sabha polls. Mr Goel, the second-highest official in the Election Commission, cited “personal reasons” in his letter while resigning, sources told NDTV. The government tried to persuade him not to resign but he insisted, they said, adding the process of appointing other election commissioners will start soon.

Here are five facts about Arun Goel:

1. Arun Goel, a retired bureaucrat, was a 1985-batch IAS officer of the Punjab cadre.
2. He took over as Election Commissioner in November 2022. He had taken voluntary retirement on November 18 and was appointed Election Commissioner a day later. He took charge on November 21.
3. Mr Goel was in line to be the next Chief Election Commissioner after the end of incumbent Rajiv Kumar ‘s office in February 2025.
4. The 61-year-old’s tenure was till December 2027.
5. Following the retirement of Anup Pandey in February and Mr Goel’s resignation, the three-member Election Commission panel has now only Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar.

New Delhi:

In a shock move weeks ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, Election Commissioner Arun Goel has resigned and his resignation has been accepted by the President. The Election Commission of India already had a vacancy and will now be left only with Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar. 

Sources had told NDTV earlier on Friday that the Lok Sabha election dates are likely to be announced next week, and it remains to be seen whether that timeline will be affected by Mr Goel’s resignation.