Keralam Assembly Passes Resolution Demanding Removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar

The Keralam Legislative Assembly adopted a formal resolution on Monday seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and demanding structural reforms to restore the credibility of the Election Commission of India. Moving the motion under Rule 118 during the assembly session, Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan stated that the southern state became the first in the country to take such a legislative step against the head of the national poll body.

The action reflects mounting political tension over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. Lawmakers across both the ruling coalition and the opposition benches expressed concern that administrative flaws in the revision process had resulted in the wrongful disenfranchisement of eligible citizens. The assembly maintained that safeguarding universal adult suffrage is critical to preserving the foundational framework of Indian democracy.

The resolution outlines three primary demands directed at the Union government and the poll panel. It calls for immediate corrective measures to rectify data anomalies tied to the Special Intensive Revision and restore voting rights to all excluded electors. Additionally, it urges the initiation of proceedings to remove the current Chief Election Commissioner over questions regarding institutional impartiality.

The proposal further demands an overhaul of the high-level committee responsible for appointing election commissioners. Lawmakers argued for the reconstitution of the selection panel to include the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and the Chief Justice of India, replacing the current legislative framework enacted under a 2023 law that excluded the judiciary.

The debate on the floor drew sharp divisions among political formations. While legislators from the ruling United Democratic Front and the opposition Left Democratic Front backed the motion, three members belonging to the Bharatiya Janata Party opposed it. Critics from the ruling side asserted that public faith in independent constitutional authorities must be actively safeguarded against executive encroachment.

State administration officials indicated that the text of the resolution will be formally forwarded to the Union government for consideration. Meanwhile, political parties continue to press related challenges before judicial forums as scrutiny over electoral roll management intensifies nationwide.