Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan has launched a strong attack on Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, describing the alleged revelations made by former Kerala Chief Secretary Jiji Thomson as a matter of serious concern.
Satheesan said the allegations raise fundamental questions about the credibility, independence and impartiality of the Election Commission of India. He demanded that Gyanesh Kumar should not continue in office even for a moment if the allegations are established.
According to Satheesan, there is no need for further evidence to establish the allegation that Gyanesh Kumar acted as an agent of the BJP. He alleged that the Election Commission had been compromised in favour of the ruling party and that this posed a serious threat to the country’s democratic institutions.
‘Serious threat to Indian democracy’
Satheesan argued that the Election Commission is constitutionally required to function independently and impartially. Any attempt to compromise the integrity of the electoral process, he said, would have consequences far beyond party politics.
He accused Gyanesh Kumar of undermining the transparency, credibility, impartiality and democratic character of the Election Commission.
Satheesan further alleged that the Election Commission had been reduced to an institution operating in cooperation with the BJP. He said such a situation could seriously damage public confidence in India’s electoral system.
‘Rahul Gandhi’s concerns are being vindicated’
Referring to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s earlier criticism of the Election Commission, Satheesan said the latest developments vindicate the concerns raised by Gandhi.
The Chief Minister maintained that the independence of the Election Commission is essential to protecting the democratic process. Allowing an official accused of compromising that independence to continue in office, he argued, would further undermine public confidence in the country’s electoral institutions.
