Centre to appoint two new Election Commissioners following Arun Goel's departure

A day following Arun Goel's unexpected resignation from the position of election commissioner, the government is set to appoint two new election commissioners by March 15, as per PTI sources. This move aims to fill the vacancies created by Goel's departure and the retirement of Anup Chandra Pandey.

Appointment process:

A search committee, led by Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal and comprising the home secretary and the secretary of the department of personnel and training (DoPT), will initially prepare two panels of five names each for the vacant positions. Subsequently, a selection committee headed by the prime minister, along with a Union minister and the leader of the Congress party in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, will finalize the appointments.

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Reasons behind Goel's resignation:

While the exact reasons for Arun Goel's resignation remain undisclosed, sources suggest it might be due to personal reasons. These sources refute claims of any discord between Goel and Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, stating that internal communications and decisions showed no dissent from Goel's end. However, speculations arose when Goel did not attend a crucial meeting between the EC and top officials from the home ministry and railways to discuss the deployment of central forces for poll duty.

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A 1985-batch IAS officer of the Punjab cadre, Goel joined the Election Commission in November 2022. His tenure was expected to continue until December 5, 2027, and he would have eventually succeeded Rajiv Kumar as the Chief Election Commissioner after Kumar's retirement in February next year.

The government's swift action to appoint new election commissioners aims to maintain the functioning of the Election Commission amidst Goel's resignation. While the exact circumstances leading to his departure remain unclear, the focus now shifts towards the appointment of competent individuals to fulfill these crucial roles in overseeing India's electoral processes.