Published Oct 12, 2026 | 1:38 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 12, 2026 | 1:38 PM
Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan presenting the Budget.
Synopsis: Keralam Assembly passes a resolution seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, with CM V.D. Satheesan calling it a historic move. The resolution demands restoration of voting rights of eligible voters excluded during SIR and reforms to the CEC selection committee to ensure the Election Commission’s independence.
The Keralam Legislative Assembly on Monday, 12 October, passed a resolution seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, with Chief Minister VD Satheesan describing the move as a historic step towards safeguarding democracy and the constitutional right to vote.
”For the first time, the Keralam Legislative Assembly has passed a resolution seeking the removal of the Chief Election Commissioner” Satheesan said, declaring that the state would stand firmly for free and fair elections.
The resolution, moved by the Chief Minister under Rule 118, urges the Union government and the Election Commission of India (ECI) to address alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, initiate proceedings to remove the CEC and reform the committee responsible for selecting Election Commissioners.
The Chief Minister’s Office informed South First that Satheesan had highlighted the significance of the resolution, stressing that the integrity of the electoral process and the constitutional rights of citizens could not be compromised.
”The integrity of our electoral process is non-negotiable,” Satheesan said, adding that serious concerns over voter roll revisions, the disenfranchisement of eligible voters and the impartiality of the Election Commission could not be ignored.
Keralam makes history.
For the first time, the Keralam Legislative Assembly has passed a resolution seeking the removal of the Chief Election Commissioner.
The integrity of our electoral process is non-negotiable. Serious concerns over voter roll revisions, the disenfranchisement of eligible voters, and the impartiality of the Election Commission cannot be ignored.
Through this historic resolution, Keralam has put forward three clear demands:
1. Restore voting rights: Address the irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process and immediately restore the voting rights of all eligible voters who have been wrongfully excluded.
2. Remove the Chief Election Commissioner: Initiate proceedings to remove the Chief Election Commissioner, whose impartiality has come under serious question.
3. Reform the selection process: Reconstitute the Election Commissioners’ selection committee to include the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and the Chief Justice of India, ensuring the independence and credibility of the institution.
The right to vote is the foundation of our democracy. No institution can be allowed to undermine the constitutional rights of our citizens.
Our stand is unequivocal. The right to vote must be protected. The Constitution must be upheld. Democracy must prevail.
Keralam stands firmly for free and fair elections.
#VDSatheesan #Keralam
— V D Satheesan (@vdsatheesan) October 12, 2026
Earlier, after presenting the resolution, four members – BJP’s B Gopakumar and V Muraleedharan, and CPI(M)’s Saji Cherian and M Vijin – suggested amendments to the draft. The Chief Minister said that all proposed amendments have been rejected. However, as Leader of the Opposition, Pinarayi Vijayan suggested that instead of ‘lakh of voters’, ‘crores of voters’ could be used, which Satheesan accepted.
The three BJP members opposed the resolution.
The resolution expresses serious concern over complaints that lakhs of eligible citizens have been excluded from electoral rolls during the SIR exercise without clear criteria or adequate prior notice.
It points to the alleged exclusion of workers, marginalised communities, minorities, migrant populations and young voters, warning that such omissions could deprive citizens of their democratic rights.
The resolution also raises concerns over the functioning of software used to prepare and verify electoral rolls. It refers to media reports alleging that the statutory powers of Electoral Registration Officers had been undermined through software systems and that amendments to Form 6 were inconsistent with the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.
It calls for immediate corrective measures to ensure that electoral rolls are prepared transparently and in accordance with the Representation of the People Act, 1950, and the relevant electoral registration rules.
”The right to vote is the foundation of our democracy,” Satheesan said, asserting that no institution could be allowed to undermine citizens’ constitutional rights.
The resolution specifically urges the Election Commission to rectify the alleged irregularities in the SIR process and restore the voting rights of all eligible voters whose names have been wrongfully excluded.
Also Read: Kerala Assembly to move historical resolution seeking removal of Chief Election Commissioner
A central demand of the resolution is the initiation of proceedings to remove CEC Gyanesh Kumar, amid concerns raised over the Election Commission’s impartiality and credibility.
The resolution argues that the Election Commission, as a constitutional body, must function independently and without government influence. It invokes Article 326 of the Constitution, which provides for elections based on adult suffrage, and warns that irregularities in electoral rolls could undermine the electoral mandate.
Satheesan said the Assembly had taken a clear position on the need to protect democratic institutions and electoral integrity.
”Our stand is unequivocal. The right to vote must be protected. The Constitution must be upheld. Democracy must prevail,” he said.
The resolution also calls on the Union government to initiate the process for removing the Chief Election Commissioner, against whom serious concerns have been raised. The demand is framed as a measure to restore public confidence in the Election Commission and uphold constitutional values.
The Assembly’s resolution, however, constitutes a political and legislative demand; it does not itself remove the CEC from office.
The third major demand concerns the composition of the committee responsible for appointing the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners.
The resolution recalls the Supreme Court’s earlier ruling on the selection process, under which the Chief Justice of India was included in the committee alongside the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
It criticises the subsequent legislation enacted by the Union government that excluded the Chief Justice of India and altered the composition of the selection committee, giving the Union government a majority.
The Assembly argues that the selection process must be restructured to strengthen the independence and credibility of the Election Commission.
It therefore urges the Union government to reconstitute the selection committee to include the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and the Chief Justice of India.
Through the resolution, the Assembly has placed electoral roll integrity, the removal of the CEC and institutional reforms at the centre of its demands to the Union government and the Election Commission.
”Keralam stands firmly for free and fair elections,” Satheesan said, reiterating the state’s position that protecting voting rights and upholding the Constitution are essential to preserving democracy.
(Edited by Sumavarsha)
