Goel’s resignation wasn’t prompted by events during ECI’s Bengal visit: Officials

Election commissioner Arun Goel’s abrupt resignation was not prompted by events during the poll body’s visit to West Bengal on March 4 and 5, four Election Commission of India (ECI) officials said, dismissing the buzz in political circles.

Opposition leaders, including West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, have attributed Goel’s resignation on Saturday to differences over the election schedule in the state. Independent interviews with officials present there, however, show that while differences existed between the chief election commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar and Goel, the latter’s exit was not prompted by that state visit.

“...an election commissioner resigned yesterday [Saturday]. News reports showed how they had tried taking over forceful control of Bengal and he [Goel] did not accept this. We salute him. In the name of the commission, they are a blot on the reputation, working at the behest of the BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party] government,’’ Banerjee said on Sunday.

According to those present, there was no point of friction between the CEC and Goel at any of the four meetings held in West Bengal. Two officials told HT that at the first meeting on day one, with political parties, representatives of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) asked why a massive deployment of Central Armed Police Forces was required in West Bengal.

A third official said there was no discussion about the number of poll phases but that all political parties, except TMC, raised the issue of violence in July 2023 during panchayat elections even though rural polls do not fall under ECI’s remit.

At least three political parties— Congress, BJP, and Communist Party of India— said that such violence should not recur during the general elections, this official added.

All three officials maintained that nothing was amiss during this meeting. “There was no friction; no differences between Kumar and Goel. They were supportive of each other and in sync on all issues,” the third official said.

The second meeting of the day was with the deputy commissioners, who act as returning officers and superintendents and inspector generals of police. The visiting ECI team said this was the most crucial meeting in terms of security needs and logistics and the number of booths.

The last meeting of the day was with the state chief electoral officer and the police’s nodal officers. Goel attended both these meetings which went on until 8pm.

The problems began the day after at the first meeting with enforcement agencies including income tax and excise departments, the ones who keep tabs on election spending, are responsible for keeping track of inter state smuggling, use of cash and freebies, and generally reduce inducements during elections.

About 15 minutes after it started, Goel left the meeting citing discomfort. Officials said he was under the weather, which also prevented him from attending the press conference in Kolkata. He came back to Delhi with the team on the same flight as the rest of the team.

When Goel left the meeting with enforcement agencies, he was expected to return. At least one official, who went on the trip, checked with Goel via text message, HT has learnt.

Things went back to normal and two days later on March 6, in Delhi, Goel attended a two-hour briefing with an international media contingent. March 7 was a regular day at the office when Goel came in but, just a day later, on Friday, March 8, he sent his resignation to the President. His resignation was notified in the gazette on Saturday evening. CEC Kumar was informed just five minutes before that.

Much has been made of the fact that Goel did not mark a copy of his resignation to CEC Kumar. A senior official said that as the CEC is first among equals, Kumar is not marked on communication that election commissioners may share with the office of their appointment— the President. So, election commissioners write directly to the President for issues such as leave of absence.

As per Section 11 of the new Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023, an election commissioner, chief or otherwise, can resign from the office at any time by “writing under his hand addressed to the President”.

It is not known why Goel abruptly resigned, despite three years remaining in his tenure and a possible elevation to the position of CEC in 2025. But Kumar and Goel did not see eye to eye on multiple issues. Key among them was their difference over the poll body’s February 17, 2023, order on the allocation of the Shiv Sena’s name and poll symbol to the Eknath Shinde faction based on only the legislative majority. No dissent was recorded on file.

There were differences also in operational style. For instance, according to the first official quoted above, Goel wanted to change certain practices of the poll panel such as regular meetings with political parties’ representatives. Goel believed only party chiefs should interact with election commissioners, but the CEC disagreed.