New Delhi: Days before the expected announcement of the schedule for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Election Commissioner Arun Goel has tendered his resignation. The announcement was made through a gazette notification citing the acceptance of Goel's resignation by the President of India. The gazette notification, issued on March 9, 2024, stated, "In pursuance of clause (1) of Section 11 of The Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023, the President is pleased to accept the resignation tendered by Shri Arun Goel, Election Commissioner with effect from the 9th of March, 2024."

With Goel's resignation, the 3-member Election Commission of India is left with only Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar. According to reports, the Union Government may call a selection committee meet this coming week in a bid to select an Election Commissioner. There was one vacancy already in ECI following Anup Pandey's retirement as EC last month. According to our sources, the the reason for Goel's surprise resignation is still not known.
 

Goel, a retired bureaucrat, was a 1985-batch IAS officer of the Punjab cadre. He had joined the Election Commission in November 2022.

Following the retirement of Anup Pandey in February and Goel's resignation, the three-member EC panel has now only Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar.