The sudden and sudden resignation of Election Commissioner (EC) Arun Goel barely every week earlier than the announcement of the Lok Sabha election got here as a shock to many, however insiders within the ballot physique have identified that obvious variations emerged between the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar and the EC throughout their West Bengal go to to supervise the preparations for the parliamentary elections.
According to well-placed sources, Mr. Goel refused to attend the press convention in Kolkata to transient the media concerning the preparations in West Bengal, which has the third largest variety of parliamentary seats (42 seats) after Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, after he reportedly differed with Mr. Kumar who addressed the media alone on March 5.
In the press briefing, the CEC did point out that Mr. Goel had returned to Delhi resulting from “health concerns”. However, sources near Mr. Goel have dismissed that and maintained “he is in the pink of health”.
“He flew back to Delhi cutting short his visit in West Bengal owing to some serious differences,” the sources maintained.
However, it isn’t recognized and sources additionally didn’t elaborate additional about what transpired between the 2 officers and their variations and precisely on which points they differed. Mr. Goel had tenure until November 2027 and he would have turn out to be the CEC subsequent 12 months.
In Delhi, he attended the Lok Sabha election associated conferences with Mr. Kumar on the Election Commission of India (ECI) headquarters on March 7.
However on March 8, he reportedly skipped attending a gathering between ECI brass and Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla concerning the election preparations and as a substitute despatched his resignation to the President of India with out informing the CEC.
‘Attempts to reconcile differences’
“There were attempts from the government to dissuade him and reconcile their differences but he remained firm on his exit,” officers within the authorities stated.
His resignation was accepted by the President on March 9 and the Ministry of Law and Justice issued a gazette notification stating that Mr. Goel’s resignation was accepted with impact from the identical day.
“Except perhaps the CEC and other highest ranking officials in the government, nobody even within the ECI had an inkling about the abrupt decision of resignation of Mr. Goel till the gazette notification was issued,” claimed a number of sources within the authorities and the ECI.
Ashok Lavasa’s resignation
In the ECI, the event reminded the officers of the circumstances that had led to the sudden resignation of EC Ashok Lavasa on August 18, 2020. While Mr. Lavasa’s resignation had come into impact 13 days afterward August 31, in Mr. Goel’s case, it grew to become efficient from the identical day.
Mr. Lavasa was despatched to the Asian Development Bank after his exit from the ECI.
‘Straight forward official’
Within the forms in Delhi, Mr. Goel’s repute is that of a “straight forward official who goes by the rules.” In a put up on microblogging website X, a retired secretary within the authorities and Mr. Goel’s batchmate Sanjeev Gupta in contrast his resignation as quick as his appointment within the ballot physique in November 2022.
“A resignation of #electioncommissioner as fast as the appointment of Arun Goel (on a single day November 18, 2022). Raises serious questions about independence of @ECISVEEP @SpokespersonECI. All of us batchmates are simply wonderstruck at what’s happening. No response from him,” Mr. Gupta’s put up on X stated.
In the central administration earlier than his appointment within the ECI, he had served because the Vice-Chairman of the Delhi Development Authority and as Secretary, Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Heavy Industries, each being seen as “non-mainstream positions or average positions” by the bureaucrats.
The ECI consisting of three members, already had a vacant place when the tenure of Anup Chandra Pandey ended final month, and now, solely the Mr. Kumar stays on the ballot panel.
EC appointment course of
Now, the federal government must transfer quick to fill within the two vacancies within the three-member physique. The appointment course of for a brand new EC entails a search committee, led by the Law Minister and together with two Union Secretaries, shortlisting 5 names.
Subsequently, the shortlisted names are positioned earlier than a variety committee headed by the Prime Minister, and comprising a Union Cabinet Minister nominated by the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition within the Lok Sabha, or the chief of the single-largest Opposition occasion, for remaining choice.
The President then formally appoints the chosen CEC or EC based mostly on the ultimate choice by the Prime Minister-led committee.
It could also be famous that the National Democratic Alliance authorities enacted a brand new regulation final 12 months, altering the method of appointing the ECs and CEC as laid down by the Supreme Court, which had urged a collegium consisting of the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice of India and the Leader of the Opposition.
Under the revised process adopted by the federal government within the new regulation, the Chief Justice of India was excluded from the choice course of.
Source: www.thehindu.com
