- Thursday, February 20, 2025
Several opposition leaders raised concerns after Arun Goel, one of the country’s election commissioners, resigned allegedly over differences with the chief commissioner.
By: Shubham Ghosh
THE Indian opposition have lashed out at the Narendra Modi government after one of the country’s election commissioners stepped down just weeks ahead of the announcement of the schedule of the next general elections. Arun Goel quit on Saturday (9) and his resignation was accepted by president Draupadi Murmu with immediate effect, the law and justice ministry said in a notification.
India’s NDTV channel reported citing sources that Goel said “personal reasons” were behind his resignation and went ahead with his decision despite the government trying to dissuade him. Speculation over his health concerns was also dismissed. Sources in the Election Commission of India said that differences on file between Goel and chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar led to the former’s resignation, the NDTV report added.
A former bureaucrat from the northern state of Punjab, Goel had joined the poll commission in November 2022.
Read: ‘2024 election will be India’s last if Modi wins again’
Goel’s exit means the three-member commission has only one member now, which is Kumar himself. The third post is already lying vacant.
The opposition criticised the federal government led by Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after Goel quit and called his resignation “deeply concerning”. The main opposition Indian National Congress and other parties asked the government to give a “reasonable explanation”.
Read: Vibrant Gujarat is Modi’s last major attempt to lure businesses before 2024 national elections
Congress president and parliamentarian Mallikarjun Kharge took a swipe at the Modi government, asking in a post on X whether it was “Election Commission or Election Omission?”
“India now has only one Election Commissioner, even as Lok Sabha elections are to be announced in few days. Why? As I have said earlier, if we do not stop the systematic decimation of our independent institutions, our democracy shall be usurped by dictatorship!” Kharge, 81, said.
He also alleged that the commission “will now be among the last Constitutional institutions to fall”.
“Since the new process of selecting the Election Commissioners have now effectively given all the power to the ruling party and the PM, why has the new Election Commissioner not appointed even after 23 days of the completion of latter’s tenure? Modi government must answer these questions and come out with a reasonable explanation,” the veteran opposition leader added.
Election Commission or Election OMISSION?
India now has only ONE Election Commissioner, even as Lok Sabha elections are to be announced in few days. Why?
As I have said earlier, if we do NOT stop the systematic decimation of our independent institutions, our DEMOCRACY shall…
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) March 9, 2024
Kharge said a few months away that if Modi and his BJP won this year’s general election, India will not see another election again.
Saket Gokhale, an MP of the Trinamool Congress, another opposition party, said the incident was “very, very concerning”.
“In a sudden move, Election Commissioner Arun Goel has abruptly resigned. The post of the other EC is vacant. That leaves the Election Commission now with just one Chief Election Commissioner. Modi government has introduced a new law where Election Commissioners will now be appointed with a majority vote of PM Modi and one minister chosen by him. Ergo, before 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Modi will now appoint two out of the three Election Commissioners after today’s resignation. This is very, very concerning,” the Trinamool leader said, citing the law and justice ministry’s notification about Goel’s resignation.
In a sudden move, Election Commissioner Arun Goel has abruptly resigned.
The post of the other EC is vacant.
That leaves the Election Commission now with just 1 Chief Election Commissioner.
Modi Govt has introduced a new law where Election Commissioners will now be… pic.twitter.com/bCcPRgDHPr
— Saket Gokhale (@SaketGokhale) March 9, 2024
Congress general secretary KC Venugopal, who is contesting this year’s election from Alapphuza in the southern state of Kerala, alleged there was “no transparency” in how a constitutional institution such as the commission was functioning and accused the central government of pressurising the body.
“It is deeply concerning for the health of the world’s largest democracy that Election Commissioner Arun Goel has resigned on the cusp of the Lok Sabha elections. There is absolutely no transparency in how a constitutional institution like the ECI has been functioning and the manner in which the government pressurises them,” he tweeted.
He added, “During the 2019 elections, Mr. Ashok Lavasa had dissented against a clean chit to the PM for violating the Model Code of Conduct. Later, he faced relentless inquiries. This attitude shows the regime is hell bent on destroying democratic traditions. This must be explained, and the ECI must be completely non-partisan at all times.”
It is deeply concerning for the health of the world’s largest democracy that Election Commissioner Mr. Arun Goel has resigned on the cusp of the Lok Sabha elections.
There is absolutely no transparency in how a constitutional institution like the ECI has been functioning and the…
— K C Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) March 9, 2024
