The Aryavarth Express
Agency(New Delhi): Following the unexpected resignation of Election Commissioner Arun Goel, Opposition parties, including the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), have raised serious concerns about the autonomy of the Election Commission of India (ECI) and its impact on the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Goel’s resignation, occurring just days before the anticipated announcement of the election schedule, has prompted allegations of the ECI operating under the influence of the ruling BJP.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut and a faction of the NCP led by Sharad Pawar voiced suspicions over the timing of Goel’s departure, labeling it as “suspicious” and indicative of the ECI’s compromised independence. The Congress, through voices like party president Mallikarjun Kharge and general secretary K.C. Venugopal, emphasized the threat to democracy posed by the undermining of independent institutions, calling for a “reasonable explanation” for Goel’s abrupt exit.
Kharge criticized the central government’s influence over the appointment process of Election Commissioners, pointing out the absence of a new appointment even 23 days after the completion of the previous commissioner’s term. This scenario, according to Kharge, leaves the ECI vulnerable to becoming the latest Constitutional body to lose its independence under the current administration.
Venugopal and other Opposition members, such as Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale and senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, lamented the lack of transparency and governmental pressure on the ECI, recalling previous instances of dissent within the commission being met with adverse actions. The resignation has ignited fears of further democratic erosion, with calls for the ECI to remain impartial and free from partisan influences.
Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal and senior Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Manoj Jha also expressed their concerns, viewing Goel’s resignation as a move to align the commission with government interests, potentially compromising the fairness and integrity of the forthcoming elections.
Goel, who had a tenure lasting until December 2027 and was a potential future Chief Election Commissioner, joined the ECI in November 2022. His resignation, approved by President Droupadi Murmu, leaves the ECI with only one member, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, following the retirement of another commissioner, Anup Chandra Pandey, in February. The sudden reduction in the commission’s membership raises pressing questions about the ECI’s readiness and autonomy as the nation prepares for its next general elections.