Kerala State election chief’s appointment kicks up political row within Congress

The United Democratic Front (UDF) government in Kerala is confronting another controversy related to an official appointment, with Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) general secretary P.M. Niyas demanding that the Home department examine the intelligence reports on N. Seshadrinathan, the nominee for the post of State Election Commissioner (SEC), claiming that he is a “Sangh Parivar activist”.

Though Mr. Niyas has sought a rethink on the appointment, K.M. Shaji, Minister for Local Self-Governments, on Monday (June 29, 2026) justified the decision.

Mr. Niyas told The Hindu on Monday that he had spoken to Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala and urged the latter to inspect the intelligence report on Mr. Seshadrinathan, adding that he would meet KPCC president Sunny Joseph too on the matter.

In a letter to Mr. Joseph earlier, Mr. Niyas had said it was “painful” to learn about Mr. Seshadrinathan’s appointment. “He grew up and began his legal practice in Chalappuram in Kozhikode, a ward I represented in the city corporation council. When I was the Kozhikode district president of the Kerala Students’ Union, he was an activist and leader of the Students Federation of India. Mr. Seshadrinathan worked against the KSU when both of us were students at the Government Law College, Kozhikode, as well,” the letter said. He also alleged that Mr. Seshadrinathan had Sangh Parivar links for over 15 years.

Mr. Niyas pointed out that the SEC’s post “has judicial powers” with “complete control of the conduct of local body elections”.

Collective Cabinet decision: Shaji

However, Mr. Shaji told the media that Mr. Seshadrinathan’s appointment was a collective decision of the Cabinet. “I have already clarified my stand. If you want to know anything more, please ask the Chief Minister. I have nothing more to add, alter or retract from what I have already said,” he said. Mr. Shaji also said Mr. Niyas had not raised the issue when they met each other recently.

Earlier on Sunday, Mr. Shaji had said any appointment should be examined based on the nominee’s professional credentials. He countered Mr. Niyas’s allegations, pointing out that “all religious believers need not be Sangh Parivar fellow travellers.” Mr. Shaji had also said that there had been no bias in any of the cases Mr. Seshadrinathan argued as a lawyer or the judgments he delivered as a judge.

On Monday, the Minister said, “These days, people’s names, beards, caps or religious identities are being used to judge them. For the past one-and-a-half months, I have been branded as an RSS [Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh] man. Before that, I was labelled a Muslim extremist and a communal person,” he said.

However, Mr. Niyas stuck to his stand, claiming that he knew the “difference between a Sanghi and a religious believer.”

Mr. Seshadrinathan, a retired District Judge, had also served as a judge of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Court in Ernakulam and as the Principal District and Sessions Judge, Kavaratti, Lakshadweep.

The controversy comes close on the heels of the resignation of Benny Thomas, brother-in-law of Electricity and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sunny Joseph, who was appointed Additional Private Secretary to the Minister. Devaswom Special government pleader K.B. Pradeep too quit after a political row broke out over his selection.