Keralam Assembly seeks CEC’s removal, voters’ restoration, EC appointment reforms

The Keralam Assembly on Monday (October 12) passed a resolution moved by Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan, accusing the Election Commission (EC) of India of failing to protect citizens’ voting rights and calling for the removal of the Chief Election Commissioner and a restructuring of the committee that appoints election commissioners.

The resolution, introduced under Rule 118, called for the restoration of eligible voters removed from electoral rolls during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and urged the Union government to include the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and the Chief Justice of India (CJI) in the selection committee for election commissioners.

BJP MLAs oppose, CPM seeks amendments

The resolution was opposed by two BJP members, BB Gopakumar and V Muraleedharan. Gopakumar questioned whether Satheesan becoming chief minister was legally valid, while Muraleedharan demanded that the 2026 Assembly election be annulled and the Assembly dissolved.

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Two CPI(M) members, Saji Cheriyan and M Vijin, proposed amendments to the resolution, including a demand for accountability over the deletion of around 24 lakh voters in Keralam through the controversial Election NET software. They also sought action against the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), who was in charge of the process, holding the official accountable for the alleged deletions.

However, Chief Minister VD Satheesan did not allow the amendments to be taken up.

Oral amendment made

Later, Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan suggested an oral amendment to the resolution, arguing that the disenfranchisement was not limited to lakhs of voters but affected crores of voters. The amendment was accepted, and the resolution was passed by a voice vote.

In the resolution, Satheesan expressed serious concern over allegations that large numbers of eligible citizens had been removed from electoral rolls during the SIR process without clear criteria or adequate notice. He said the exclusion of eligible voters undermined democratic principles and was tantamount to subverting the people’s mandate.

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The resolution pointed out that marginalised communities, minorities, migrant workers, and young voters were particularly vulnerable to losing their voting rights because of technical errors and procedural irregularities. It called for immediate steps to correct the alleged deficiencies and restore the voting rights of all eligible citizens.

Questions raised

The document also raised concerns over the alleged use of software systems in preparing and scrutinising electoral rolls. It referred to media reports claiming that the powers of Electoral Registration Officers, provided under the Representation of the People Act, 1950, and the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, had been undermined through software-based procedures. It also cited reports alleging that Form 6 had been amended in violation of the rules and that some members of the EC had recorded their disagreement with the decisions.

The resolution argued that electoral-roll preparation and verification systems must operate transparently and in accordance with the law. It maintained that the EC had failed to ensure that software systems used in the process adequately protected citizens’ voting rights.

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A key demand was to restructure the mechanism for appointing election commissioners. Satheesan argued that the exclusion of the CJI from the selection committee under a subsequent law introduced by the Union government had weakened the institution’s independence by giving the Centre a majority in the panel.

Resolution passed by voice vote

The resolution called for a selection committee comprising the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and the CJI, arguing that such a mechanism would help ensure the appointment of independent election commissioners.

It also demanded that steps be initiated to remove the CEC, citing serious doubts over the EC’s impartiality and credibility. The resolution urged the Assembly to appeal to the EC and the Centre to restore the voting rights of all eligible citizens, initiate removal proceedings against the CEC and reform the selection process.

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With the resolution passed by voice vote after Vijayan’s oral amendment, the Assembly has called for corrective measures to protect voters’ rights and strengthen confidence in the electoral process.