Goel quit over personal reasons, says CEC
New Delhi, March 16
Former Election Commissioner Arun Goel, who resigned last week, was a “very distinguished member of our team” and “the commission has a culture of dissent”, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar said here today.
“I thoroughly enjoyed working with him,” Kumar said of Goel, who was a 1985-batch Punjab cadre IAS officer.
Goel, whose tenure was till December 2027, resigned last Saturday.
“But in every institution, people will be given personal space. He has resigned for personal reasons. We need to respect that,” the CEC said while answering a question from the media after announcing the Lok Sabha polls schedule.
There has been speculation that Goel quit due to differences with Kumar.
The CEC said: “A sound tradition of dissent within the commission is encouraged. Holding elections is such a complicated exercise that three minds are always better than one.”
“We discuss issues, we sleep over them, we take time and we assimilate,” he said, adding that one should keep people around who can challenge you. “The Election Commission and its tradition of dissent will continue,” added the CEC.
