Arun Goel takes over as India’s new Election Commissioner. Arun Goel has been appointed as India’s new Election Commissioner. Mr. Goel, a retired IAS officer, has been appointed as the new Election Commissioner by President Droupadi Murmu.
Former bureaucrat Arun Goel took over as India’s election commissioner today, Monday, after being appointed on November 19. Since May, when Sushil Chandra retired as Chief Election Commissioner, the position of one election commissioner in the three-member commission has been vacant.
While notifying President Droupadi Murmu’s appointment, Minister of Law and Justice Kiren Rijiju stated, “The President is pleased to appoint Arun Goel, IAS (Retd.) (PB: 1985) as the Election Commissioner in the Election Commission with effect from the date he assumes the office.”
Delhi | Arun Goel assumes charge as the new Election Commissioner of India. pic.twitter.com/4c85DsILgt
— ANI (@ANI) November 21, 2022
The former Punjab cadre IAS officer was the Secretary of Heavy Industries until Friday, when he resigned voluntarily. He was also the Culture Ministry’s Secretary and the Vice-Chairman of the Delhi Development Authority.
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Goel will now serve on the poll panel alongside CEC Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey. He will also be in line to become the next CEC when the current CEC’s term expires in February 2025. He will serve until December 2027. Goel was scheduled to retire on December 31, 2022, prior to his voluntary retirement.
Goel’s appointment comes just days before elections in the poll-bound state of Gujarat, which will be held in two stages. On December 8, the results for two important states, Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat, will be announced.
The post of 3rd Election Commissioner remained vacant after the then Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar took the charge of Chief Election Commissioner in May this year.