Who is Arun Goel, former election commissioner whose appointment to poll panel had caused major row | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: In a twist development that may have an impact over the time schedule for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Election Commissioner Arun Goel resigned from his post and President Droupadi Murmu accepted it on Saturday.
The three-member Election Commission of India already had a vacancy and will now be left only with Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar. Election Commissioner Anup Pandey had retired in February.

Goel is a retired 1985-batch Indian Administrative Service officer belonging to the Punjab cadre.

On November 19, 2022, he was appointed as Election Commissioner and assumed charge on November 21, 2022.
His appointment to the post had been quite controversial with the Supreme Court going as far as asking the Centre why there was a “tearing hurry” to appoint him to the poll panel.
Goel had taken voluntary retirement on November 18, 2022, and was appointed Election Commissioner just a day later. His appointment had been challenged in the Supreme Court, which had asked the government what the “tearing hurry” was.
“Minister of Law picks up four names from the list of names shortlisted … The file was put up on November 18 and moves it the same day. Even the PM recommends the name on the same day. We don’t want any confrontation, but was this done in any haste? What’s the tearing hurry,” the court had asked.
The petition was later dismissed by a two-judge bench last year, which noted that a Constitution Bench had examined the issue but had refused to cancel Goel’s appointment.
Goel’s tenure was till 2027 and he was in line to replace Rajiv Kumar as the Chief Election Commissioner after the latter’s retirement next year.
The reason for Arun Goel’s resignation is not yet known.
(With inputs from agencies)