Two election commissioners are set to be appointed by March 15 to fill vacancies left by the retirement of Anup Chandra Pandey and the surprise resignation of Arun Goel. Goel's resignation was accepted by President Droupadi Murmu, leaving Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar as the sole member of the poll authority.

Pandey retired on February 14 at the age of 65. A search committee led by Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal will prepare two panels of five names each for the vacant posts. These panels will be considered by a selection committee headed by the Prime Minister, which also includes a Union minister and the Leader of the Congress party in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury. The President will ultimately appoint the new election commissioners.

The selection committee may meet on March 13 or 14, and appointments are expected by March 15. Previously, election commissioners were appointed by the President based on government recommendations, with the senior-most typically becoming the Chief Election Commissioner.

Sources dismissed rumors of differences between Goel and Kumar, citing internal records that show no recorded dissent by Goel. Goel, a 1985-batch IAS officer of the Punjab cadre, resigned on Friday morning and did not attend a key meeting between the EC and top home ministry and railway officials.

Ashok Lavasa had resigned as election commissioner in August 2020, citing dissent on various model code violations during the last Lok Sabha polls. Originally, the commission had only a Chief Election Commissioner. It now consists of the CEC and two election commissioners.

Additional commissioners were first appointed in October 1989, with a short tenure till January 1990. Two additional election commissioners were appointed on October 1, 1993. The multi-member EC operates on majority vote decisions.

Two election commissioners are set to be appointed by March 15 to fill vacancies left by the retirement of Anup Chandra Pandey and the surprise resignation of Arun Goel. Goel's resignation was accepted by President Droupadi Murmu, leaving Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar as the sole member of the poll authority.

Pandey retired on February 14 at the age of 65. A search committee led by Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal will prepare two panels of five names each for the vacant posts. These panels will be considered by a selection committee headed by the Prime Minister, which also includes a Union minister and the Leader of the Congress party in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury. The President will ultimately appoint the new election commissioners.

The selection committee may meet on March 13 or 14, and appointments are expected by March 15. Previously, election commissioners were appointed by the President based on government recommendations, with the senior-most typically becoming the Chief Election Commissioner.

Sources dismissed rumors of differences between Goel and Kumar, citing internal records that show no recorded dissent by Goel. Goel, a 1985-batch IAS officer of the Punjab cadre, resigned on Friday morning and did not attend a key meeting between the EC and top home ministry and railway officials.

Ashok Lavasa had resigned as election commissioner in August 2020, citing dissent on various model code violations during the last Lok Sabha polls. Originally, the commission had only a Chief Election Commissioner. It now consists of the CEC and two election commissioners.

Additional commissioners were first appointed in October 1989, with a short tenure till January 1990. Two additional election commissioners were appointed on October 1, 1993. The multi-member EC operates on majority vote decisions.