Kerala Home Department seeks old vigilance probe records on Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar

The Kerala Home Department has sought records of a vigilance inquiry, nearly two decades old, involving Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The inquiry began in 2006, when Kumar was secretary of the state's Public Works Department.

The case relates to the construction of MC Road under the Kerala State Transport Project. Lee See Bean, chief project manager of the Indo-Malaysian company Patti-Bell, which was linked to the project, died by suicide in Kuala Lumpur in 2006.

His suicide note reportedly accused government officials of delaying and irregularly handling payments. Gyanesh Kumar's name also figured in it. The then LDF government subsequently ordered a vigilance inquiry.

Meanwhile, Odisha is witnessing a major political uproar over the SIR. At such a time, the state's Chief Electoral Officer, R. Santhan Gopalan, has suddenly decided to take voluntary retirement from government service.

Gopalan, a 2001-batch IAS officer, submitted his resignation to the government just a week after the electoral roll work was completed. He has said the step was taken entirely for personal and family reasons and not because of any controversy.

Separately, the Supreme Court has agreed to hear next week a public interest litigation questioning the working of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The petition asks whether two Election Commissioners had approved decisions taken in the Election Commission. It also raises the question of how the commission's multi-member structure is actually functioning.

A protest demanding Gyanesh Kumar's resignation is also due at Jantar Mantar today. Security arrangements have been made there. Barricades have been placed on all major roads leading to the site and a large number of security personnel have been deployed. Police have not granted permission, but indications are that the protest will go ahead.