The Congress on March 9 expressed "deep concern" over Election Commissioner Arun Goel's resignation and said if the "systematic decimation" of independent institutions is not stopped then democracy shall be usurped by dictatorship.
Mr. Goel resigned on Saturday, days before the expected announcement of the schedule for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. His tenure was till December 5, 2027, and he would have become Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) after incumbent Rajiv Kumar retired in February next year.
In a post on X, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said, "Election Commission or Election OMISSION? India now has only one Election Commissioner, even as Lok Sabha elections are to be announced in few days. Why?"