Petition filed in Supreme Court to halt Centre's appointment of new election commissioner

In the wake of the resignation of Arun Goel as Election Commissioner, an application has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking to restrain the Union Government from appointing a new EC as per the new Election Commissioners Act.

The plea has been filed in the Supreme Court to restrain Government from appointing Chief Election Commissioner and other ECs as per Section 7 and 8 of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment Conditions of Service and terms of office Act 2023.

In a shock move weeks ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, Election Commissioner Arun Goel resigned Saturday.

President Droupadi Murmu accepted his resignation. With Goel’s resignation, there are now two vacancies in the poll panel.

The Election Commission of India already had a vacancy and will now be left only with Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar.  His tenure was till 2027.

Goel is a retired Punjab cadre IAS officer. He had assumed office as an Election Commissioner in November 2022.

The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), an independent electoral watchdog, had challenged his appointment before the Supreme Court.

Also read: Election Commissioner Arun Goel resigns ahead of Lok Sabha polls