Double standard? Congress appoints poll officer as top official in Kerala govt

Thiruvananthapuram: Rathan U Kelkar, the CEO of Kerala, who faced scrutiny over the BJP seal on Election Commission’s communication, has been appointed as Secretary to the Chief Minister of Kerala, V D Satheesan, of the new Congress government. This raises questions about the Congress party’s consistency in dealing with bureaucrats whose neutrality has come under public scrutiny.

Kelkar’s tenure as Kerala Chief Electoral Officer attracted controversy earlier this year after an official Election Commission communication was circulated bearing a BJP election symbol. The incident triggered criticism from opposition parties and raised concerns over the perceived impartiality of the electoral machinery. Kelkar subsequently attributed the episode to an administrative lapse and ordered corrective action.

Only months ago, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi sharply criticised the elevation of former West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal as the state’s Chief Secretary following the BJP’s electoral victory. Gandhi portrayed the appointment as deeply troubling, arguing that an official whose conduct during the election had been questioned should not be rewarded with one of the most powerful administrative posts in the state. The criticism was framed as a defence of institutional neutrality and public trust in the electoral process.

Yet the Congress government in Kerala has now entrusted a key position to Rathan U Kelkar, whose tenure as CEO came under scrutiny. Although Kelkar explained that the incident resulted from an administrative error and corrective action followed, the controversy nevertheless generated public debate over the perception of impartiality within the election machinery.

The contrast is politically striking. In West Bengal, Congress treated concerns surrounding an election official as sufficient grounds to question his subsequent appointment. In Kerala, however, a controversy involving another election official has not prevented his selection for a prominent role in the party-led government.