The Keralam assembly on Monday adopted a resolution demanding the removal of Gyanesh Kumar as chief election commissioner (CEC) and the reform of the selection committee that chooses the CEC.
Three MLAs from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) opposed the resolution. It also demanded 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. It is believed to be the first such resolution in the country.
The resolution, moved by chief minister VD Satheesan under Rule 118 of the assembly procedures, was backed by the United Democratic Front (UDF) and Left Democratic Front (LDF) MLAs. Currently, under a 2023 law passed by Parliament, the committee excludes the CJI and includes a cabinet minister nominated by the PM.
Earlier reporting noted: The resolution, moved by chief minister V D Satheesan, called for addressing alleged irregularities in the voter roll revision exercise and restoring the voting rights of all eligible voters who had been wrongfully excluded. Earlier reporting noted: The House also sought a change in the composition of the committee that selects election commissioners, proposing that the Prime Minister, the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha and the Chief Justice of India be included to safeguard the Election Commission’s independence and credibility. Earlier reporting noted: The resolution comes amid a growing political controversy over the SIR exercise, with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi leading protests against CEC Kumar.
“The right to vote is the foundation of our democracy. No institution can be allowed to undermine the constitutional rights of our citizens. Keralam stands firmly for free and fair elections,” CM Satheesan said in a post on X on Monday.
