Thiruvananthapuram: Former Kerala Chief Secretary Jiji Thomson has alleged that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar suggested in 2016 that he contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections as a BJP candidate and later become a Union minister.
According to Thomson, the suggestion was made during a flight to Delhi when both were in government service. Thomson said Kumar asked about his plans after retirement and suggested that he contest the 2019 elections, become an MP and eventually a minister.
Thomson said he immediately rejected the idea, telling Kumar that he had no interest in entering electoral politics.
“We were good friends. He asked me what my plans were after retirement. I said I didn't have any plans in particular. I told him that I wanted to come up with plans to improve the future of my children,” Thomson said.
“He then advised me to contest as a BJP candidate in the 2019 elections and later become an MP and a minister. It was in 2016. We were travelling to Delhi together. I told him that elections were not in my plans and that I was not interested,” he said.
Thomson’s remarks come amid criticism of the Election Commission and demands for action against Gyanesh Kumar. The CPI(M) and other parties have called for protests against the Election Commission, while the Cockroach Janata Party has said it would hold a nationwide protest if Kumar does not resign.
Teeka Ram Meena claims he raised concerns over EC’s alleged BJP favouritism
Following Thomson’s revelations, Kerala’s former chief secretary Teeka Ram Meena also opined that Kumar was very close to the BJP.
“After observing Gyanesh Kumar’s functioning as CEC, I had written a letter to him last November. I had shared my concerns about the EC’s favouritism towards the BJP. However, I didn’t receive any reply to that personal letter. In December, I had written to Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, citing alleged illegal acts by Kumar. Following this, they wrote to the Union Cabinet Secretary. I assume that they started questioning Kumar after receiving my letter,” Meena said.
He also alleged that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in states including Bihar and West Bengal ahead of elections was illegal. He further accused the EC of conducting the SIR to sabotage the electoral process in favour of the BJP.
Allegations against Kumar
An investigation published by The Indian Express has exposed a rift within the Election Commission of India, putting Kumar under scrutiny over his alleged role in decisions concerning the electoral system.
Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections at least 14 times over 10 months to decisions and orders related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls issued by the Election Commission of India. According to their objections, other key decisions related to electoral roll management, including the registration and deletion of voters and changes to statutory Form 6, were taken without their knowledge or approval.
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According to the Election Commissioners, statutory Form 6, which is used for the registration of new voters, was changed without the required amendment to the relevant rules. Joshi argued that the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, must be amended before changes could be made to the form. Sandhu subsequently described the reported change as “unauthorised and illegal”.
'The Indian Express' claimed that both commissioner had sent separate letters to the Cabinet Secretary expressing concerns over the new electoral roll management platform, ECINet, and changes to the IT infrastructure.
However, the EC has rubbished the rift claims and issued a detailed explanations over the allegations on Sunday. It claimed that all decisions were taken unanimously by the three members.
