New Delhi: Arun Goel, a former bureaucrat, was appointed India's new Election Commissioner on Monday.

On Saturday, Arun Goel, a former IAS officer from the Punjab cadre, was named Election Commissioner. The nomination made by President Droupadi Murmu was announced by the Minister of Law and Justice on Saturday.

The statement read: "The President is pleased to name Arun Goel, IAS (Retd.) (PB: 1985) as the Election Commissioner in the Election Commission with effect from the date he takes the post.

Arun Goel voluntarily retired from his position as Secretary of Heavy Industries on Friday. He will serve on the Election Commission with Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey.
In May of this year, Sushil Chandra stepped down as Chief Election Commissioner.

The new appointment of the Election Commissioner comes days prior to the major Gujarat elections set to be taken place on December 1 and 5. Goel will be in office till December 2027.

Goel was set to retire on December 31 this year after finishing sixty years of age. He was the heavy industries secretary earlier and with him assuming the office of Election Commissioner, he will be in line to be the next chief election commissioner after incumbent Rajiv Kumar demits office in February 2025.