India’s second-highest ranked election commission official has resigned, the justice ministry said, days before the expected announcement of general elections in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi will seek a third term.
Arun Goel resigned on Saturday, leaving the Election Commission of India with only one of its three top officials to conduct what will be the largest exercise of the democratic franchise in human history.
Nearly a billion people are eligible to cast ballots in the elections, likely to be held in April-May.
The Ministry of Law and Justice said Indian President Droupadi Murmu had accepted Goel’s resignation, but did not cite a reason for his departure.
The NDTV news network said Goel had resigned due to “personal reasons”, citing sources.
Another official had retired last year and the position has not yet been filed.
