Who is Arun Goel, the new Election Commissioner of India?
Arun Goel assumed charge as one of the two Election Commissioners of the top election body—the Election Commission of India (ECI)—on Monday. A devoted civil servant, Goel has worked in different capacities in the central government, contributing immensely to multiple projects in various industries and the employment sector. An avid traveler and watersports lover, here is a look at Goel's interesting life and career.
Cambridge University alumnus with 37 years of civil service
Notably, Goel is a 1985-batch Punjab-cadre Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer. Born on December 7, 1962, he served the central and Punjab governments in various capacities for over 37 years before taking voluntary retirement as Heavy Industries Secretary last week. He holds a post-graduate development economics degree from Churchill College, University of Cambridge, and trained at John F Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.
Worked in senior central positions; also handled elections in Punjab
Since 2011, Goel held different posts in central ministries of Culture, Labour & Employment, Urban Development, and Finance. Earlier, while in Punjab, he served as the District Election Officer of Bathinda during 1993-94 and Ludhiana from 1995-2000. As Punjab's Principal Secretary, he oversaw the Master Plans for New Chandigarh and other important towns, as well as implemented the long-delayed power reforms and infrastructure projects.
Developed e-vehicle strategy for auto industry
Goel's implementation of the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for the auto sector and his work on bringing in the e-vehicle policy are well-known. "He catalyzed e-vehicle movement in India to a Tipping Point. He implemented Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Auto Industry in a record time, getting investments worth Rs. 67,690 crore against target of Rs. 42,500 crore," said the ECI's official website.
As Culture Secretary, Goel worked on creating new museums
As the Culture Secretary (2018-19), Goel worked on the development of several new museums, from Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Museum at Red Fort to the recently inaugurated Prime Minister's Museum in Delhi, for which the foundation stone was laid during his tenure.
Significance of his appointment as Election Commissioner
Goel's appointment as an EC comes days before the Gujarat elections, which might see increased friction between the ruling BJP and opposition parties. He will be the next in line to become Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) when incumbent Rajiv Kumar retires in 2025. Notably, the EC and CEC positions can be retained for a maximum of six years or till 65 years of age.
