The Keralam Legislative Assembly on Monday passed a resolution seeking the removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar amid a raging controversy over the SIR of electoral rolls, with top Congress leader Rahul Gandhi spearheading an aggressive agitation against the official.
The resolution, perhaps the first such in the country, was moved by Chief Minister V D Satheesan.
It contended that there were serious concerns regarding the voter roll revisions, the disenfranchisement of eligible voters, and the impartiality of the Election Commission, all of which cannot be ignored.
The resolution sought addressing of the alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and immediate restoration of the voting rights of all eligible voters who have been wrongfully excluded.
In addition to that, it also sought reconstitution of 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, "to ensure 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," Satheesan said later in an X post.
(With inputs from PTI)