Kerala CM Vijayan slams EC over ‘seal’ row, calls it breach of neutrality
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday sharply criticised the Election Commission over the circulation of a document bearing the office seal of the party ruling at the Centre to other political parties, calling it a serious breach of neutrality.
In a strongly worded letter to the Chief Electoral Officer, Vijayan also condemned the reported police action against those who criticised the incident.
He reminded the Commission that, as a constitutional body, it must reflect complete political neutrality in all its actions. Criticism, he said, is a democratic right, and issuing police notices to those who pointed out the Commission’s lapse is “anti-democratic”.
The Chief Minister stressed that criticism which is neither defamatory nor personal in nature should be treated as a legitimate expression of opinion. “Using the police machinery to send notices is not the correct course of action,” he said.
Vijayan underlined that the issue cannot be dismissed as an error by a single official.
The fact that such an important document was circulated without scrutiny by senior authorities makes the lapse serious, he noted. “This cannot be seen as a mere accidental mistake,” he added.
He further pointed out that the credibility and integrity of institutions like the Election Commission rest entirely on their impartial functioning.
Every action by its officials must reflect this neutrality, he said.
While the Chief Electoral Officer has indicated that an inquiry will be conducted, CM Vijayan urged that the findings be made public to reassure political parties and citizens alike.
The controversy erupted after a circular issued by the Election Commission, bearing the office seal of the ruling party at the Centre, was reportedly distributed to other political parties, triggering a political storm.
Opposition parties alleged that the incident pointed to an improper nexus between the Commission and the ruling dispensation.
The Chief Minister’s intervention comes amid reports that police had initiated action against individuals who raised criticism on social media, further intensifying the debate over institutional accountability and democratic freedoms.