NEW DELHI: A day after Election Commissioner Arun Goel resigned from his post, Opposition parties attacked the Modi government and demanded a clear statement on the circumstances in which the situation has emerged.
Goel resigned on Saturday, days before the expected announcement of the schedule for the Lok Sabha elections. Terming the development alarming, the politbureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) said that it created an atmosphere of uncertainty on the eve of the general election to the 18th Lok Sabha.
“With the new law on the appointment of ECs, the composition of the Election Commission is under the complete control of the government. This situation raises concerns that need to be addressed to ensure the credibility of the Constitutional entity and its capacity to conduct free and fair polls,” the party said.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh asked whether Goel resigned over personal reasons as cited by him in his resignation letter or to contest the LS polls on a BJP ticket like former Calcutta High Court judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay.
“The resignation of Arun Goel as Election Commissioner last evening raises three questions: Did he actually resign over differences with the Chief Election Commissioner or with the Modi government, which does the front-seat driving for all supposedly independent institutions? Or, did he resign for personal reasons? Or, did he, like the Calcutta High Court judge a few days back, resign to contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls on a BJP ticket,” Ramesh asked in a post on X.
“Each passing day in Modi’s India deals an added blow to democracy and democratic institutions,” he added. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said the ECI is no longer an autonomous watchdog, but an extended branch of the ruling BJP. The Sharad Pawar-led NCP said Goel’s sudden resignation appeared suspicious.
“Did he resign because he had a doubt that elections would not be held in a free and fair manner? Did he voice it, therefore asked to leave? The government must answer,” Pawar said in a statement.
Names of new ECs likely by March 15
The Central government is likely to appoint two Election Commissioners (EC) by March 15, a process necessitated by the resignation of Arun Goel on Friday and the retirement of Anup Chandra Pandey in February. A search committee under Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal and comprising the Home Secretary and the Department of Personnel and Training Secretary is preparing two separate panels of five names each for the two posts. Later, a selection committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and comprising a Union minister and Leader of the Congress party in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury will then name the two appointees. The election commissioners will be appointed by the President. Sources said the selection committee could meet either on March 13 or 14 depending on the convenience of the members and the appointments are likely to be made by March 15.