GUWAHATI: 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 media reports.
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This move aims to fill the void left by Goel and the retirement of Anup Chandra Pandey, with the Election Commission of India (ECI) expected to announce the schedule for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in April-May.
President Droupadi Murmu accepted Goel's resignation on Saturday, leaving Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar as the sole member of the poll body.
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The selection committee is expected to convene on March 13 or 14, and the appointments are slated to be confirmed by March 15, per media reports.
While the exact reason for Arun Goel's resignation remains unclear, sources suggest it might be due to personal reasons, dispelling claims of differences between Goel and Rajiv Kumar.
Internal records indicate no dissent from Goel, and speculation arose when he did not attend a crucial meeting between the EC and top home ministry and railway officials regarding the deployment and movement of central forces for poll duty across India.
Goel, a 1985-batch IAS officer of the Punjab cadre, joined the Election Commission in November 2022, with his tenure set until December 5, 2027. He was on track to become Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) after Rajiv Kumar's retirement in February next year.
