Kerala Assembly Passes Resolution Seeking Removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar Over SIR Irregularities
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Legislative Assembly on Monday passed a resolution seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and demanding corrective action over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The resolution was adopted on the opening day of the second session of the 16th Kerala Assembly, which has 140 members. The development comes amid opposition allegations of “vote chori” and claims that the Election Commission has acted in favour of the BJP.
The resolution stressed the need to safeguard transparency and impartiality in India’s electoral process. It called for an inquiry into alleged irregularities during the SIR exercise and demanded the restoration of voting rights to eligible citizens whose names were allegedly removed from electoral rolls unlawfully.
Demand for transparent appointment process
The resolution also called for greater transparency in the appointment of election commissioners. It sought the reconstitution of the selection committee to include the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and the Chief Justice of India.
The move reflects the opposition’s continuing concerns over electoral-roll revisions and the functioning of the Election Commission. Opposition parties have alleged that irregularities in the voter-list revision process could deprive eligible citizens of their constitutional right to vote.
‘Voting rights are the foundation of democracy’
Reacting to the resolution on X, Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan said the right to vote was fundamental to democracy and that no institution should be allowed to undermine citizens’ constitutional rights.
He said the Kerala Assembly stood firmly for free and fair elections and stressed the importance of protecting the integrity of the electoral process.
The resolution comes amid intensifying political tensions over the SIR exercise, with opposition parties demanding accountability and corrective measures to ensure that no eligible voter is excluded from electoral rolls.
The allegations against the Chief Election Commissioner and the Election Commission remain contested political claims.
