New Delhi:
Election Commissioner Arun Goel’s resignation simply days earlier than the announcement of dates for the Lok Sabha polls has despatched shockwaves inside the political circles. Whereas he acknowledged “personal reasons” in his resignation letter, sources have informed NDTV that variations with the Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar might have prompted the exit.
Congress, expressing “deep concern,” has sounded the alarm on what it perceives as a harmful development of systematic erosion of impartial establishments, warning that if not halted, democracy might be supplanted by dictatorship. Questions are additionally being raised about whether or not the upcoming elections shall be carried out pretty.
In a publish on X, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge stated, “Election Commission or Election OMISSION? India now has only one Election Commissioner, even as Lok Sabha elections are to be announced in a few days. Why? As I have said earlier, if we do not stop the systematic decimation of our independent institutions, our democracy shall be usurped by dictatorship.”
The ECI will now be among the many final Constitutional establishments to fall, Mr Kharge claimed.
“Since the new process of selecting the Election Commissioners has now effectively given all the power to the ruling party and the PM, why has the new Election Commissioner not appointed even after 23 days of the completion of latter’s tenure? Modi government must answer these questions and come out with a reasonable explanation,” the Congress president stated.
Election Fee or Election OMISSION?
India now has solely ONE Election Commissioner, at the same time as Lok Sabha elections are to be introduced in few days. Why?
As I’ve stated earlier, if we do NOT cease the systematic decimation of our impartial establishments, our DEMOCRACY shall…
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) March 9, 2024
Arun Goel resigned on Saturday, days earlier than the anticipated announcement of the schedule for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. His tenure was until December 5, 2027, and he would have develop into Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) after incumbent Rajiv Kumar retired in February subsequent yr.
The Election Fee of India, consisting of three members, already had a vacant place, and now, solely Mr Kumar stays on the ballot panel.
In line with sources, the Lok Sabha election dates are prone to be introduced subsequent week. Nevertheless, Mr Goel’s surprising departure has forged doubt on the beforehand anticipated timeline.
Congress chief KC Venugopal additionally criticised the shortage of transparency within the functioning of constitutional establishments just like the Election Fee and highlighted the alleged pressures exerted by the federal government.
“This is quite shocking; just before the declaration of elections, the Election Commissioner has resigned. Now, only one Election Commissioner is there… What is happening in this Election Commission? The entire country is anxious. The government of India doesn’t want a free and fair election,” the Congress common secretary stated.
Mr Venugopal drew parallels with the 2019 elections, citing the case of Ashok Lavasa, who dissented towards giving a clear chit to the Prime Minister for violating the Mannequin Code of Conduct. He emphasised the necessity for the Election Fee to stay utterly non-partisan to protect democratic traditions.
“Mr Ashok Lavasa had dissented against a clean chit to the PM for violating the Model Code of Conduct. Later, he faced relentless inquiries. This attitude shows the regime is hell-bent on destroying democratic traditions,” Mr Venugopal wrote on X.