Just days before the Gujarat elections, former bureaucrat Arun Goel assumed charge as an Election Commissioner on Monday, the Election Commission of India said, as reported by news agency PTI. He now joins Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey on the poll panel.
The 1985-batch IAS officer of the Punjab cadre’s appointment was made by the poll panel on Saturday. The Minister of Law and Justice on Saturday notified the appointment made by President Droupadi Murmu.
“The President is pleased to appoint Arun Goel, IAS (Retd.) (PB: 1985) as the Election Commissioner in the Election Commission with effect from the date he assumes the office,” it said, as quoted by ANI.
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Goel on Friday had taken voluntary retirement on November 18 from the post of Secretary, Heavy Industries, and was to retire on December 31 after completing 60 years. He has also served in the Ministry of Culture.
The position of the election commissioner was vacant following the retirement of Sushil Chandra as CEC in May.
His appointment comes days before the upcoming Gujarat elections that are scheduled to be held in two phases in December. He will remain in office till December 2027.
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The poll panel will have its full strength when it decides the election schedule for Nagaland, Meghalaya, Tripura and Karnataka, which are due next year.