CEO Urges Sunilkumar to Sign Declaration on Voters’ List Allegations

Fast Summary

• The Kerala Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), rathan U. Kelkar, has asked CPI candidate V.S. Sunilkumar to sign a declaration/oath under Rule 20(3)(b) of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.
• The declaration requires Mr. Sunilkumar to affirm his allegations regarding the voters’ list for the Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency are true to his knowledge; it also includes awareness of penalties under Section 31 of the Representation of People Act, 1950, and Section 227 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 for false evidence.
• This demand follows Mr. Sunilkumar’s public comments on August 9 criticizing electoral roll revisions.
• A letter by District Election Officer/District Collector in Thrissur stated that concerns raised by political parties during electoral revisions were addressed timely and appropriately.
• The CEO’s office condemned Mr. Sunilkumar’s remarks and emphasized that accusations against election officials should be avoided, as such officials act impartially in compliance with laws set by the Election Commission.
• CEO Rathan U.Kelkar clarified there was nothing extraordinary about requesting this oath and stated it is indeed standard procedure.

Indian Opinion analysis

The interaction between kerala’s Chief Electoral Officer and CPI candidate V.S. Sunilkumar highlights an essential tension between transparency in voter list management and accountability concerning public discourse on election processes in India-a country with one of the largest democracies globally.

Requiring a formal declaration ensures that grievances are substantiated within legal frameworks rather than through unverified media statements but could also deter genuine whistleblowers from raising pertinent concerns about electoral integrity due to fear of legal consequences.

This situation underscores India’s ongoing efforts to protect both institutional credibility and democratic rights amid an increasingly charged political surroundings ahead of elections. As rising scrutiny emerges around voter lists across states like Kerala, maintaining open but responsible channels for feedback could be crucial for fostering trust in electoral systems without compromising procedural integrity.

Read more: Original Article