Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday slammed Centre post-Supreme Court of India raising eyebrows on the “hasty” appointment of the new Election Commissioner Arun Goel.
“The Supreme Court has clearly indicated that it is the misuse of the government’s authority (in the appointment of Arun Goel as new election commissioner). The person was supposed to retire on a particular day and on the same day giving him an extension or clearing his appointment has never happened in the past. It is against the normal system of appointment on a position,” Pawar said.
The apex court bench headed by Justice KM Joseph noticed that the vacuity for the new Election Commissioner emerged on May 15 and Goel’s file was passed with a ‘lighting speed’. Attorney general R Venkataramani clarified the procedure and urged the bench to look at the matter from different sides and from different sides too.
Goel’s appointment comes on the radar as the SC showed skepticism about the decision. On Wednesday, the bench noticed that the addition of the Chief Justice of India in the consultative process for the poll panel chief appointment would ensure the election commission’s independence.
Arun Goel is a Punjab-cadre IAS officer and was appointed as election commissioner on November 19. He will be in line to become the next poll panel chief post mandatory leaving of Rajiv Kumar in February 2025. Goel’s tenure in the election commission will be for five years. He will join Kumar and Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey on the poll panel.
Also Read: It’s Time To Generate Income From Electricity Than Getting It For Free, Says PM Modi
