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Journalism of Courage
The appointment of former Punjab-cadre IAS officer Arun Goel as Election Commissioner in November 2022 not only raised eyebrows, but was also challenged in the Supreme Court. His resignation from the post on Saturday, when he had three years remaining in his tenure, too has taken people by surprise.
After 37 years in the IAS, Goel took voluntary retirement on November 18, 2022, a month before he was set to retire on December 31. The very next day, November 19, the President appointed him as Election Commissioner, filling the post that had been vacant since May 15, 2022. He took charge as EC on November 21.
Goel’s appointment came at a time when the Supreme Court was hearing petitions on the procedure for appointing Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners. The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) moved the court in April 2023 against Goel’s appointment, saying it was arbitrary and that he seemed to have “remarkable foresight” to seek voluntary retirement ahead of his appointment as EC.
The Supreme Court had dismissed the challenge in August 2023, as a Constitution Bench of the court had already given its judgment on the matter of appointment of election commissions in March last year.
At the time of taking voluntary retirement from the IAS, Goel was Secretary, Ministry of Heavy Industries, having held the office of Culture Secretary and Delhi Development Authority vice-chairperson prior to that.
“As Secretary, Heavy Industries, he catalysed E-vehicle movement in India to a tipping point. He implemented Production Linked Incentive scheme for auto Industry in a record time getting investments worth Rs 67,690 crore against target of Rs 42,500 crore and PLI for Advanced Chemistry Cell Battery Storage getting manufacturing set up for 98 GW against target of 50 GW,” says Goel’s profile on the EC website.
While in the Punjab Government, Goel oversaw the masterplan of New Chandigarh as principal secretary and implemented “the much delayed power reforms”, the profile said. Goel, who was born in Patiala, has an MSc. in Mathematics.
Goel’s resignation comes at a time when the EC was travelling across the country to review poll preparations and the schedule for the Lok Sabha elections was expected to be announced in a few days. On Friday, the EC held meetings with top Union Home Ministry and Railway officials on the deployment and movement of security personnel across India for the parliamentary elections. With Goel’s resignation, the EC, which is a three-member body, is left with only Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar. There was already a vacancy in the EC after Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey retired last month.
