India's Election Commissioner Arun Goel has resigned just days before the expected announcement of the polls schedule next week for the upcoming national election.

President Droupadi Murmu today accepted Goel's resignation.

Goel took charge as election commissioner on November 21, 2022 and his tenure was till December 5, 2027, which would have seen him becoming the Chief Election Commissioner after the retirement of incumbent Rajiv Kumar in February next year.

There is no official word on the reason behind Arun Goel's resignation.

With Goel's resignation, the country's three-member Election Commission has been reduced only one -- Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar. The other Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey retired last month.

"In pursuance of clause (1) of Section 11 of The Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023, the President is pleased to accept the resignation tendered by Shri Arun Goel, Election Commissioner with effect from the 09th March, 2024," a gazette notification issued this evening said.

A 1985 batch Indian Administrative Service officer, Arun Goel had previously served as secretary of the Ministry of Heavy Industry.

Goel's resignation came amid hectic preparations by the EC for the Lok Sabha election which is likely to be held in April-May.

On Friday (yesterday), the EC had held a meeting with the Indian home ministry and railways ministry officials in connection with the deployment and movement of security personnel across India for the parliamentary poll.

Goel's appointment as election commissioner was challenged in the Supreme Court by civil rights group Association for Democratic Rights which had claimed that his appointment was "violative of institutional integrity and independence of Election Commission."