Keralam Assembly passes resolution seeking removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar, steps to restore credibility of ECI

The Keralam Legislative Assembly on Monday (October 12, 2026) passed a resolution seeking the removal of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and steps to improve transparency in the functioning of the Election Commission of India (ECI).

The ruling Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Opposition CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) supported the resolution moved by Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) objected to the contents of the resolution and proposed amendments, but they were rejected.

The House expressed deep concern over the accusations levelled against the ECI, while observing that free, transparent and impartial elections and universal adult franchise constitute the basis of Indian democracy. “Given the circumstances where serious doubts have been raised about the impartiality of the ECI, it is imperative that steps be taken to remove the CEC to restore the credibility of the institution,” the resolution said.

It urged the Centre and the ECI to address the defects in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls and restore voting rights to all eligible voters. It wanted the Centre and the ECI to take steps to remove Mr. Gyanesh Kumar as CEC, and restructure the panel selecting the CEC by including the Chief Justice of India alongside the Prime Minister and the Lok Sabha Opposition Leader.

“Complaints have emerged that crores of eligible voters have been excluded from the electoral rolls without following any proper criteria or informing them in advance. Snatching away the right to vote of marginalised sections, minorities, migrant labourers and young voters through technical chicanery and defects constitutes a flagrant breach of democratic principles,” the resolution said.

“The gravity of the situation is further compounded by reports that the powers of the Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) to prepare the voters’ list were diluted, that amendments were made to Form 6, and that the two other Election Commissioners had objected to ECI decisions. Aberrations in the electoral roll are tantamount to undermining the people’s mandate,” the resolution said.

“The Central government also destroyed the credibility of the ECI as an institution by transforming the CEC selection committee into one in which it had a majority. The Supreme Court had ordered that the panel should include the Chief Justice of India. Only an impartial panel that consists of the Prime Minister, the Opposition Leader and the CJI can pick Election Commissioners who are independent. Therefore, steps should be taken to restructure this panel,” the resolution said.

Four members proposed amendments and additions to the resolution.

The Chief Minister initially rejected all the proposals on the grounds that they did not conform to the spirit of the document. However, he accepted one where Opposition Leader Pinarayi Vijayan suggested that part of a sentence “lakhs of eligible voters were excluded from the electoral roll” be replaced with “crores” as that was the case across the country.

BJP Parliamentary Party leader B. B. Gopakumar questioned the legality of the 2026 Assembly elections and sought their cancellation and the dissolution of the Assembly. It was rejected.