Keralam CM calls for CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s removal, alleges BJP agent

Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan on Sunday said Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar should step down, alleging that his conduct in office had compromised the independence and credibility of the Election Commission.

In posts on Facebook and X, Satheesan referred to former Kerala Chief Secretary Jiji Thomson’s reported claim that Kumar had encouraged him to join the BJP in 2016, while Thomson was still serving as an IAS officer. Satheesan described the allegation as serious and said it further strengthened the charge that Kumar had acted in the BJP’s interests, The New Indian Express reported.

The chief minister alleged that Kumar had undermined democratic institutions and compromised the Election Commission’s constitutional responsibilities. He argued that the CEC’s continuation in office posed a serious threat to the integrity and impartiality of the electoral process.

Satheesan further accused Kumar of weakening the transparency and independence of the poll panel and alleged that the Election Commission had been brought under the influence of the Sangh Parivar.

He also claimed that the latest allegations supported concerns previously raised by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi regarding the functioning of the Election Commission.

Satheesan maintained that Kumar’s continued tenure would further damage public confidence in the poll panel and called for his removal from the post.