SC questions appointment of EC Goel at 'lightning speed'

Says ‘Mystified’ By Criteria For Shortlist Of 4

- AmitAnand Choudhary

The Centre faced another round of questioning on Thursday on the appointment of top poll officers from the Supreme Court after it perused the process adopted by the government to appoint Arun Goel as election commissioner (EC). The court said it was “mystified” by the criteria adopted to shortlist names and by the whole process being completed at “lightning speed” within 24 hours without any deliberation.

The five-judge Constitution bench noted that the vacancy in the poll panel was there since May but in November, the government moved to finalise the appointment in less than 24 hours. The court made it clear that it was neither questioning the credentials of the officer nor examining the validity of his appointment but scrutinising the process adopted by the government.

New Delhi: Questioning the process of appointment of Arun Goel as election commissioner, the Supreme Court on Thursday asked what criteria were followed by the law ministry to shortlist only four names out of a vast number of officers and why people, who had retired or were on the verge of retirement, were considered.