Kerala Assembly Demands Chief Election Commissioner's Removal

Chief Minister VD Satheesan spearheaded the motion, highlighting widespread concerns that the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls unfairly targeted marginalized communities, migrant workers, and young voters. The resolution alleges that technical manipulations and the arbitrary removal of eligible names from voter lists have compromised the impartiality of the constitutional body. Reports of restricted powers for Electoral Registration Officers and contested amendments to Form 6 further fueled the legislative pushback against the current commission leadership.

Beyond immediate operational grievances, the assembly proposed a structural overhaul of the selection process for election commissioners. The resolution advocates for a high-level committee comprising the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, and the Chief Justice of India, arguing that the current mechanism—which excludes the judiciary—undermines the independence of the institution. While the measure passed with a clear majority, it faced opposition from three BJP members. MLA V. Muraleedharan challenged the accusations, labeling the move a campaign by vested interests to discredit a constitutional authority and defending the commission against claims of administrative bias.