Resignation of EC Arun Goyal raises concerns, TPCC urges immediate action

Hyderabad: G Niranjan, Senior Vice President of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC), expressed deep concern over the resignation of Election Commissioner Arun Goyal.

The timing, just days before the expected release of the Lok Sabha election schedule, has disrupted the Election Commission’s preparations, creating uncertainty, according to Niranjan.

Addressing the media at Gandhi Bhavan, Niranjan highlighted the significant impact of Goyal’s resignation, especially considering that out of the three Election Commissioners, one has retired and now one has resigned. This leaves the Chief Election Commissioner as the sole remaining commissioner, posing challenges for the impending Lok Sabha elections.

Niranjan urged serious consideration of Arun Goyal’s resignation, stating that his departure at a crucial time, after six months of countrywide election preparations, is irresponsible. He called for immediate action against Goyal by the President of India, emphasizing that disruption of election arrangements while holding a responsible office is punishable.

Questioning the reasons cited in Goyal’s resignation letter, Niranjan emphasized that personal reasons should not override the national interest. He raised concerns about the vacant position left by another Election Commissioner, Anoop Pandey, who is set to retire on February 14, and questioned why the process to fill that vacancy was not initiated earlier.

Blaming the Modi government, Niranjan suggested that Prime Minister Modi should take responsibility and apologize to the public for the unexpected developments within the Election Commission just before the general elections. He criticized the changes made by the Modi government in the Election Commissioners Appointment Act, removing the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court from the selection committee, which could lead to potential risks in appointing the two newly appointed commissioners.

Expressing doubt about the capacity and knowledge of the two new commissioners to conduct elections in a short time, Niranjan warned that such changes could be detrimental to the survival of democracy.

He also drew attention to the recent resignation of a judge from the Bengal High Court who joined the BJP, raising apprehensions among the public about potential political affiliations in such resignations.