NEW DELHI: Election Commissioner Arun Goel has resigned from the post just days ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. The President has accepted his resignation, reports said. The Law Ministry accepted the resignation and issued the notification. There were two members in the three-member Election Commission. With the resignation of Arun Goel, only Chief Election Commissioner Rajeev Kumar is left in the commission. Election Commissioner Anoop Chandra Pandey had retired in February.

Reports are claiming that differences of opinion with the central government led Goel to take the decision. Arun Goel had a term till 2027. He was supposed to take over the post of Chief Election Commissioner when Rajeev Kumar retires in 2025.

Sources in the central government said that Goel cited personal matters, including health, as the reason for his resignation. Although there was pressure on Goel from the top level not to resign ahead of the announcement of the dates of the Lok Sabha polls, he did not relent. It is heard that he had differences of opinion with the central government on issues related to the Lok Sabha elections. Goel's resignation has emerged as an unexpected weapon for the opposition to use against the government ahead of the elections.

Goel, an IAS officer, assumed charge as Election Commissioner (EC) of India on November 21, 2022. He was an officer of the Punjab cadre. The Association of Democratic Reforms had filed a petition in the Supreme Court against the appointment of Arun Goel.