NEW: Chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Saturday attributed his former EC colleague Arun Goel’s sudden decision to resign from the post of election commissioner to “personal reasons”, without elaborating further.

Asked if Goel had resigned due to differences with him, Kumar said encouraging dissent within the “four walls of the commission” has been a “sound tradition” in EC.

“Three minds are better than one. We sleep over issues, we take time, we assimilate. Those who can challenge you should be kept close,” he said in a rather cryptic statement.
While describing Goel as a “very, very distinguished member of our team”, the CEC said he had thoroughly enjoyed working with him. “But in every institution someone will have to be given personal space, and I am sure personal space should not be touched. One should not be insensitive to ask personal questions. We must respect if he had personal reasons to quit,” Kumar said.
Goel, who would have taken over as CEC in Feb 2025, going by the seniority principle, and held that office till Dec 2027, submitted his resignation to President Droupadi Murmu on March 8, raising many eyebrows. He did not share a copy of the resignation with the CEC.
The President accepted Goel’s resignation on March 9. On March 14, the PM-led selection committee picked former IAS officers Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu as the new election commissioners.