Owaisi terms Election Commissioner’s resignation ‘shocking’

Hyderabad, March 10: AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday termed the resignation of Election Commissioner Arun Goel as “shocking”, just days before the announcement of the schedule for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

He demanded that the government should reveal the reasons for the Election Commissioner’s resignation.

Talking to media persons, the Hyderabad MP said since Arun Goel has not cited the reasons for his resignation, the Modi government should tell the country what are the reasons for his move.

“The election schedule is likely to be announced anytime after March 13 and just a few days before the Election Commissioner has resigned which is surprising and shocking,” he said.

He recalled that when the government had brought a Bill in Parliament about the appointment of Chief Election Commissioner and election commissioners, he had opposed the same as the government had gone against the order of the Supreme Court.

Owaisi said wrong legislation was passed as a three-member committee comprising the Prime Minister, minister and Leader of the Opposition will appoint CEC and ECs. “When the committee has two members from the government, it’s obvious that the government will appoint persons of its choice as election commissioners. The search committee too has more members from the government,” he said.

The MP recalled that the Supreme Court had said in its orders that the government should not have a majority in the committee to appoint CEC and ECs to ensure neutral persons are appointed to conduct elections in a free and fair manner.