Kerala Assembly Passes Proposal for Removal of Chief Election Commissioner

Thiruvananthapuram, October 12 (Daily Kiran) : The Kerala Assembly made a significant move on October 12, as it passed a proposal seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan heralded this as a historic moment for the state. The proposal also aims to restore voting rights to eligible citizens who were removed from the voter list, and it calls for changes in the selection process for election commissioners.

In a social media post, Satheesan stated that Kerala has made history by being the first state assembly to pass such a proposal. The motion was supported by legislators from the Left Democratic Front (LDF), led by the CPI(M), while it faced opposition from three BJP lawmakers.

The assembly, comprising 140 members, includes 102 from the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), 35 from the CPI(M)-led LDF, and three from the BJP. The proposal highlighted concerns over the “Special Intensive Revision” (SIR) of the voter list, which has led to the removal of eligible voters and raised questions about the impartiality of the election commission.

The proposal demands corrective measures to ensure that no eligible citizen is denied the right to vote. Chief Minister Satheesan outlined three primary requests in the proposal: addressing irregularities in the SIR process, restoring voting rights to wrongly removed eligible voters, and initiating the process for the removal of the Chief Election Commissioner.

He emphasized the importance of maintaining the integrity of the electoral process, stating that concerns about changes to the voter list and the impartiality of the election commission cannot be overlooked. The right to vote is fundamental to democracy, and no institution should be allowed to undermine the constitutional rights of citizens.

Reiterating the government’s stance, Satheesan called for the protection of voting rights and respect for the Constitution. Following the passage of the proposal, BJP supporters protested outside the assembly, burning a copy of the motion.