PM-led panel to choose 2 election commissioners by March 15

Before the selection panel meets, a search committee under the Law Minister will first prepare two separate panels of five names each. With Anup Chandra Pandey's retirement last month and Goel's resignation on Saturday, the Election Commission is now left with just the CEC.

New Delhi: The central government appears to be scrambling to fill the vacancies in the Election Commission following the surprise resignation of Arun Goel by tentatively fixing a meeting of PM Narendra Modi-led selection panel by March 15.

The Opposition raised questions about the resignation asking whether it has to do anything with differences within the poll panel, amid speculation that disagreement with CEC Rajiv Kumar over the conduct of Lok Sabha election led to his quitting the poll panel.

Goel's absence at a press conference in Kolkata on March 5 has added to the speculation though it was explained as health-related.

So far, no reason has been officially attributed for the resignation of Goel, a former IAS officer who had a tenure till December 2027 and could have become the Chief Election Commissioner, even on Sunday either by the government, Election Commission or the former Commissioner.

With Anup Chandra Pandey's retirement last month and Goel's resignation on Saturday, the Election Commission is now left with just the CEC. Though there is no legal bar in the EC working with just the CEC, the government had not moved fast to fill Pandey’s vacancy.

Sources said the government has intimated members of the selection panel led by the Prime Minister about holding a meeting 'tentatively' on March 15. Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal and leader of the largest Opposition party in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury are the members of the panel.

Before the selection panel meets, a search committee under the Law Minister will first prepare two separate panels of five names each for the two posts for consideration of the Prime Minister-led committee.

While the initial invite for the meeting is for finding Pandey’s replacement, the panel's agenda may be revised to include choosing two commissioners. Sources said Chowdhury will land in Delhi on March 13 and the meeting could even take place on March 14. The schedule for the Lok Sabha election is likely to be announced only after new Commissioners are chosen.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge told reporters one should wait to see what Goes does in the next few days citing the example of Justice Abhijit Ganguly resigning as a Judge with Kolkata High Court to join the BJP next day. "It shows that the BJP has appointed people with such a mindset. Now the EC has resigned, let us wait for some time to see what he does," he said.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee sought to link Goel's resignation with Bengal. "I salute Arun Goel for not succumbing to pressure by Delhi leaders and his top bosses in connection with West Bengal Lok Sabha polls and force deployment. It proved what the Modi government wanted to do in the name of election. They want to loot votes," she added.

Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh said the resignation 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?" he said.

"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 said on 'X'.

Separately, he told reporters that it is possible that Goel resigned to contest elections on a BJP ticket.