'Hold your mouth': Modi govt to Supreme Court as judges question 'haste' in appointing Arun Goel as EC

The face-off between the Supreme Court and the Union government over appointments to the Election Commission continued on 24 November 2022.

The top court questioned the government's "haste" and "tearing hurry" in appointing Arun Goel as Election Commissioner. The 5-judge Constitution Bench said that it was not questioning Goel's credentials, but the process adopted by the government in which his file was cleared with "lightning speed".

The court reportedly asked the government, "What kind of evaluation is this?"

In response, the government's lawyer said, "Please hold your mouth for a while. I request to look into the issue in entirety."

The judges said that Goel got voluntary retirement in one day, Law Ministry cleared his file in a single day, and got the President's assent in 24 hours.

The Supreme Court was studying the file related to Arun Goel's appointment as EC a day after the bench asked for the records. The bench is hearing a batch of pleas seeking a collegium-like system for the appointment of ECs and the Chief Election Commissioner.

Also watch: On Shraddha's 2020 letter to police on Aaftab, what Maharashtra Deputy CM said | Delhi fridge murder