New Delhi

The Supreme Court on Wednesday told the Centre that it wants to see the files relating to the recent appointment of Arun Goel as Election Commissioner and emphasised that it wants to see by what mechanism, "he was picked up", and "there is no danger to produce it (files)".

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing a petitioner, raised the issue in connection with the appointment of Goel. He said Goel was a sitting Secretary, was given voluntary retirement on Friday, the appointment was issued on Saturday, and on Monday, he started working as EC.

A five-judge Constitution bench, headed by Justice KM Joseph, said the court heard the matter on Thursday and Bhushan said that there is an intervention application in connection with the vacancy and the Centre appointed a person as an Election Commissioner.

Justice Joseph told Attorney General R Venkataramani: "Produce the files of appointment of this officer... you say there is no hanky-panky in this. Was he appointed on the basis of voluntary retirement... how was he appointed, what is the mechanism by which he was picked up... the matter is being heard".

He told the AG if there is no illegality "then you shouldn't be afraid and "if everything is going on smoothly, then show us the file".

As the AG said "I don't think we have to travel that far", Justice Joseph said the court will not sit in judgment on appointment and "we want to see that file, unless you claim some privilege... we want to see how things work".

Concluding the hearing in the matter, Justice Joseph said there is no danger in getting the files related to Goel's appointment and told the AG that "it is not a matter to withhold the information".

Former bureaucrat Arun Goel assumed the office of Election Commissioner on Monday, after being appointed to the post on November 19. Since May, this year, the post of one Election Commissioner in the three-member commission was lying vacant after Sushil Chandra retired as the CEC.

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The apex court in October 2018, referred a PIL seeking a collegium-like system for the selection of CECs and ECs to a five-judge Constitution bench.