Election commissioner Arun Goel steps down: Why the appointment of the former IAS officer was problematic?

The Election Commission of India now has just one of its three mandated senior officials remaining in their positions following Arun Goel’s departure as election commissioner.The Congress party has expressed disapproval of the government’s apparent lack of desire for a “free and fair election” in light of Arun Goel’s untimely resignation as Election Commissioner only days before the anticipated publication of the timetable for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Arun Goel was supposed to take over as Chief Election Commissioner in 2025, however his term ended in November 2027.Following Anup Chandra Pandey’s retirement as a commissioner last month, the three-member Election Commission of India is now down to only one office-bearer, CEC Rajiv Kumar.

Even though the results of the elections will be known in a few days, India currently only has ONE election commissioner. Why not?” In a post on X, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge stated. “The systematic decimation of our independent institutions” must end, he declared, in India.Saket Gokhale, a member of the Trinamool Congress, expressed worry over the panel’s two selections being announced before the general elections.
Referring to The Chief Election Commissioner And Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service And Term of Office) Act, he stated, “Modi Govt has introduced a new law where Election Commissioners will now be appointed with a majority vote of PM Modi & one Minister chosen by him.”