Kerala

Senior CPM leaders in Kerala are openly disagreeing over how the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls affected the last Assembly election results. The split has become a major talking point in the state's political circles.

K K Shailaja was firm in her stance. She told media that the LDF's defeat cannot be blamed on the voter list revision process. According to her, the UDF used SIR in its own way and spread fear among certain voter groups. They were made to believe that removing names from electoral rolls would strip them of voting rights. Shailaja said the Left made strong efforts to counter this. She also pointed out that the UDF never stood with the Left in adopting the right approach to handle the SIR process.

Opposite Views from Two Senior Leaders

But K N Balagopal told a very different story. He claimed that the revision of electoral rolls did influence assembly election results across states, including Kerala. He cited research reports backed by data to support his position. In his view, both the UDF and BJP benefited from SIR. He went further and warned that the BJP could gain from this process in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections too.

Minister Sunny Joseph pushed back against the manipulation story. He argued that the UDF's sweeping victory in Kerala came from a genuine pro-UDF wave. He raised a simple question: if the assembly election results had been manipulated, how could the UDF have secured such a strong win in the local body elections? He pointed out that local body polls were not held using the revised rolls, as SIR had not taken place at that time.

The debate has intensified further after CJP chairman Abhijit Deepke said the Pinarayi Vijayan government was toppled in Kerala through the SIR process. With protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar already under way, SIR has turned into a nationwide controversy. CPM's internal rift over it adds another layer to the story. For those checking the revised rolls, the Aruvikkara Final Voter List 2026 and Kovalam Final Voter List 2026 are available as PDF downloads.

Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Electoral Officer of Kerala, D Sajith Babu, announced on Wednesday that district collectors have been asked to conduct a special voter enrolment drive across the state. The directive was issued on October 5.

Digital help desks will be set up at village offices from October 15 to October 31 to help eligible citizens register as voters.

Here is a key change this time. The earlier additional declaration form has been done away with. Applicants now only need to submit Form 6 online through the Citizen Service portal or the Voter Helpline app. Simple enough, really. Along with the application, any one of 12 documents proving photograph, age and address should be submitted. Those submitting Aadhaar must also provide another supporting document.

Verification will be handled by booth-level officers who will directly visit households for checks.

Besides this, Electoral Registration Officers have been told to identify major differences between the electoral roll effective January 1, 2025, and the roll that came into force just before the Assembly polls. An ERO-level check will also be done on uncollected applications from the Special Intensive Revision to see how many made it into the voter list published after the election.

For young voters, a new initiative called Campus to Booth is being rolled out. A week-long enrolment drive at colleges and higher secondary schools will begin on November 2 under the tagline Step Forward, Get Counted. District collectors have been told to maximise student participation through electoral literacy clubs.

Chief Electoral Officer D Sajith Babu has announced a special voter enrolment drive across Keralam. District collectors were told on October 5 to run the drive statewide.

Digital help desks will be set up at village offices from October 15 to October 31 to help new voters sign up. The old additional declaration form has been scrapped. Applicants now only need to send in online Form 6 through the Citizen Service portal or the Voter Helpline app.

Along with the application, any one of 12 documents proving photograph, age and address must be given. Those submitting Aadhaar will also need to submit another supporting document. Booth-level officers will follow up by visiting households directly.

Checking the voter rolls

Electoral registration officers have been told to check major gaps between the electoral roll effective January 1, 2025 and the roll published just before the Assembly polls. They will also review how many uncollected applications from the Special Intensive Revision ended up in the post-election voter list.

For young voters, a week-long enrolment drive called Campus to Booth will run from November 2 at college and higher secondary school level, with the tagline "Step Forward, Get Counted." District collectors have been told to get as many students involved as possible through electoral literacy clubs.

Former Keralam Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has taken a strong stand against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commission of India. He spoke on October 6 at CPI(M) extended Kozhikode district committee meeting. There he accused the government of undermining the entire election process through the Special Intensive Revision or SIR of electoral rolls.

"The credibility of the Election Commission is being questioned," Vijayan said clearly. "Its impartiality and credibility have come under serious doubt." He did not hold back. He said the actions carried out during the SIR process were inappropriate and went against democratic values.

"Gyanesh Kumar is not carrying out his responsibilities in a democratic manner. What he has done while occupying that chair is what the RSS wanted," he added. Vijayan also claimed there is an eagerness to remove crores of voters from the electoral rolls. This concern has drawn national attention in recent weeks.

Vijayan concluded that it is now clear Gyanesh Kumar is not qualified to hold the post of Chief Election Commissioner. CPI(M) extended district committee meeting started at AKG Hall in Kozhikode with 125 participants, including senior leaders K K Shailaja, P Sathidevi, and State Secretariat members.

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala has ordered a Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) probe against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. It goes back to 2006, when he served as the state Public Works Department Secretary.

Probe Tied to 2006 Case

The inquiry is about the alleged suicide of Malaysian civil engineer Lee See Been. He was part of the PATI-BEL consortium upgrading MC Road under Kerala State Transport Project.

His reported suicide note had named Gyanesh Kumar. I find the timing notable, given the political heat around Election Commission right now.

Fresh action came after claims that the original 2006 preliminary inquiry was derailed due to external pressure. Home Department has asked for all files connected with that inquiry. Vigilance Director has been told to look into the claims closely and act on the findings.

P Chidambaram, a senior Congress leader, urged Chief Electoral Officers across states to clarify the directives they received. Those directives came during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. He called the SIR process illegal. CEOs should speak before courts get involved, he said.

Election Commission has rejected reports of internal dissent. It said all final decisions on the SIR schedule were taken unanimously.

Opposition parties continue to demand Gyanesh Kumar's resignation. Protests are planned for October 6, followed by a major rally in New Delhi on November 1.

Kerala's Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls turned out differently this time. Even opposition leaders admit the process went smoothly here, compared with other states.

Ordinary voters and political parties stayed alert. That made the difference. Fewer complaints, smoother verification, and a roll most parties seem willing to accept.

I think this matters. The SIR row is far from over nationally. Kerala's example shows what careful ground-level checking can actually achieve.

A violent clash broke out outside a men's hostel at a university in Thiruvananthapuram. A Youth Congress night march turned chaotic and both sides hurled stones, beer bottles, and burning torches at each other around 7.30 pm. The clash was between SFI and Youth Congress workers.

The march was organised against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Youth Congress workers said stones and petrol bombs were thrown at their procession from inside the hostel. SFI workers countered, saying burning torches were thrown into the compound. A parked car and windows were damaged.

Police action and student protests

Police entered the hostel and used batons on students. Several were left injured. The SFI has called for a statewide class boycott and protests at the Secretariat and police headquarters. It calls the police action an unprovoked attack on students.

Left leaders step in

CPI(M) leader Pinarayi Vijayan called the violence a one-sided attack by Youth Congress workers against students. He said injured students were stopped from reaching hospitals and beaten again while seeking treatment. Senior CPI(M) leaders V Sivankutty, P K Sreemathi, and V Joy staged a sit-in outside the hostel. K K Shailaja claimed the police action was carried out on specific instructions.

Youth Congress workers, however, said the attack began from inside the hostel. They pointed to jeering during a power outage as the starting point.

Kerala Police law and order chief P Vijayan reached the spot. He assured immediate police action once the situation is under control.

A.K. Suresh Kumar has won the Uruvachal ward by-election in Mattannur Municipality, Kannur district, Kerala, by 276 votes. The result was confirmed after counting began at 10 am on September 29, as per the Kerala State Election Commission schedule.

Voting for this ward took place on September 28 from 7 am to 6 pm. It was part of a bigger round of local-body by-elections covering 38 wards across 12 districts. 126 candidates were in the race.

What changed since the last election?

CPI(M) had won the same ward in the previous election by 269 votes. This result shows a clear shift at ward level. Close contest, and a flip.

Key details on voter turnout

Overall turnout across all 38 wards was 58.81%. Kannur recorded the highest turnout at 84.55%, well above the state average. Ward-specific turnout for Uruvachal has not been officially published yet.

Vote breakdown

Full candidate-wise vote counts for Uruvachal ward are not available from verified sources yet. If you want official ward-wise figures, check the Kerala State Election Commission's election portal for final numbers. You can also refer to the Mattannur Final Voter List 2026 for the latest electoral roll.

Disclaimer: Vote counts and election details should be considered final only after confirmation from the Kerala State Election Commission.

Voting is being counted for by-elections held in 38 local body wards in Kerala on September 28. Counting started at 10 AM on Tuesday. This is the first local vote test since the UDF government took power in the state.

126 candidates contested in 12 districts, covering corporation, municipality, district panchayat, block panchayat and grama panchayat wards. Overall voter turnout was 58.81 per cent. Results are being announced as counting goes on.

Results so far: The LDF held onto the Ottoor division of Varkala Block Panchayat in Thiruvananthapuram with a 925-vote lead. In Thrissur, the UDF won Kurumala 16th ward of Chelakkara Grama Panchayat by 73 votes, taking control of the 24-member panchayat. LDF and UDF tied in Palakkad's Paruthikkavu ward, and a coin toss decided it, with LDF winning.

In Ernakulam, Twenty20 held Kolanchery East ward while the UDF kept Madaplathuruthu East ward. The UDF gained seats in Pathanamthitta, Kannur and Idukki, while the LDF won in Kannur and Kasaragod. In Kozhikode, the UDF was ahead by 160 votes in the Kuttichira division of Kozhikode Corporation, and that result is still pending.

Kerala BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar has again asked Congress MP Rahul Gandhi to apologise to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Election Commission over his comments about the disagreement within the Election Commission on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists.

Chandrasekhar, who is the MLA from Nemom, made the demand in fresh posts on Facebook and X. He framed it as an "offer" to Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan, saying if Rahul Gandhi does not apologise, he should "be prepared to be called out as frauds".

What sparked the exchange

The back and forth started after Satheesan criticised Chandrasekhar's earlier remarks against the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. Satheesan said personal and abusive comments do not count as political criticism.

Chandrasekhar hit back. He said he rarely attacks opponents personally but felt "compelled" to do so in Rahul Gandhi's case. His condition is simple. If Rahul Gandhi apologises to PM Modi for calling him a "deshdrohi" and to the Election Commission for lying, he will stop calling him a fraud.

Source: India Today

Kerala chief minister V D Satheesan has asked chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to step down right away. He called the allegations against Kumar "extremely serious."

Satheesan was responding to what Keralam's former chief secretary Jiji Thomson revealed. In a statement from the chief minister's office, Satheesan said Kumar worked like an agent for BJP and helped the party at the cost of democracy. He said no more proof was needed to back up this claim.

Satheesan called Kumar's actions a "death sentence" for Indian democracy. He said history would remember him for it. He pointed out that the Constitution says the election process and Election Commission must work independently. If Kumar has compromised that, he should not stay even for a moment.

Satheesan also mentioned earlier claims made by Lok Sabha leader of the opposition Rahul Gandhi about the Election Commission. He said Thomson's revelations have now proved those claims right. He alleged that the Election Commission has turned into an institution working together with BJP.