<p>Former bureaucrat Arun Goel on Monday assumed charge of his new responsibility as an Election Commissioner.</p>.<p>The poll panel said Goel assumed charge this morning.</p>.<p>A 1985-batch IAS officer of the Punjab cadre, Goel took voluntary retirement on November 18. He was on Saturday appointed as an Election Commissioner.</p>.<p>He was to retire on December 31, 2022 after completing 60 years of age.</p>.<p>He has joined Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey on the poll panel.</p>.<p>There was a vacancy in the EC following the retirement of Sushil Chandra as CEC in May this year.</p>.<p>Goel was, till recently, the heavy industries secretary. He has also served in the Union Culture ministry.</p>.<p>His appointment comes days before Gujarat goes to two-phase polls on December one and five.</p>.<p>The poll panel will have its full strength when it decides the election schedule for Nagaland, Meghalaya, Tripura and Karnataka in the coming months.</p>
<p>Former bureaucrat Arun Goel on Monday assumed charge of his new responsibility as an Election Commissioner.</p>.<p>The poll panel said Goel assumed charge this morning.</p>.<p>A 1985-batch IAS officer of the Punjab cadre, Goel took voluntary retirement on November 18. He was on Saturday appointed as an Election Commissioner.</p>.<p>He was to retire on December 31, 2022 after completing 60 years of age.</p>.<p>He has joined Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey on the poll panel.</p>.<p>There was a vacancy in the EC following the retirement of Sushil Chandra as CEC in May this year.</p>.<p>Goel was, till recently, the heavy industries secretary. He has also served in the Union Culture ministry.</p>.<p>His appointment comes days before Gujarat goes to two-phase polls on December one and five.</p>.<p>The poll panel will have its full strength when it decides the election schedule for Nagaland, Meghalaya, Tripura and Karnataka in the coming months.</p>