Thiruvananthapuram | Leader of Opposition in the Keralam Assembly Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday sought the removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar and demanded that the SIR of electoral rolls be halted.

In a post on 'X', the senior CPI (M) leader said "revelations" about objections raised by two Election Commissioners over decisions concerning voter registration, deletion of names and Special Intensive Revision (SIR) raised "grave questions" about the functioning of the Election Commission of India.

His remarks came amid a newspaper report of differences within the three-member EC over several decisions and instructions relating to electoral-roll revision, including deletion and addition of names, changes in forms for new voters, and access to voter data.

"Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar must be removed, SIR must be halted, the voting rights of those wrongfully excluded must be restored, and the independence and credibility of the EC must be protected," the former Chief Minister said.

He said the right to vote belongs to the people of India.

"It cannot be manipulated to serve the political interests of the BJP and Sangh Parivar," Vijayan charged.