Two Election Commissioners likely to be appointed by March 15: Sources

The appointment of two commissioners in the Election Commission Of India will be made by March 15, said the sources. The two positions in the poll panel were created after the retirement of Anup Chandra Pandey and the surprise resignation of Arun Goel.

Days before the schedule of Lok Sabha elections be announced, Goel, one of two commissioners of poll panel  on Friday morning, resigned triggereing political outrage. Goel's resignation leaves Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar as the sole member of the poll authority.

His resignation was accepted by President Droupadi Murmu



on Saturday and the Law Ministry issued a notification to announce it. Pandey had demitted office on February 14 on attaining the age of 65 years.

Goel did not attend the crucial meeting between the EC and top home ministry and railway officials to firm up deployment and movement of central forces across India for poll duty.

Goel was a 1985-batch IAS officer of the Punjab cadre. He had joined the Election Commission in November 2022. His tenure was till December 5, 2027, and he would have become Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) after incumbent Rajiv Kumar retired in February next year.