NEW DELHI: In a move that has baffled many, especially the political parties and sparked speculation behind the sudden decision, the Election Commissioner Arun Goel resigned on Saturday, days before the expected announcement of the schedule for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. 

Following the retirement of Anup Chandra Pandey in February and Goel's resignation, the three-member EC has now only one member, that is the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India, Rajiv Kumar.  Goel's tenure was till December 5, 2027, and he would have become after incumbent Rajiv Kumar retired in February next year.

According to a law ministry notification, Goel's resignation has been accepted by President Droupadi Murmu with effect from Saturday. It was not immediately known why he stepped down. Goel, a retired bureaucrat, was a 1985-batch IAS officer of the Punjab cadre. He had joined the Election Commission in November 2022.

The opposition parties led by the Congress expressed 'deep concern' over Goel's resignation and said that if the "systematic decimation" of independent institutions is not stopped then democracy shall be usurped by dictatorship.

Commenting on the sudden move by EC Goel, Mahua Moitra of the Trinamool Congress wrote on X, "Why does EC Arun Goel resign right after ECI’s poll review mtng in Kolkata where he left abruptly? Apparently disagreed with Delhi’s diktat on num of phases & excessive force deployment. Will now be replaced by hand picked yes man."