BJP approaches Election Commission over ‘seal’ controversy in Kerala

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has approached the Election Commission of India alleging a broader political conspiracy following a dispute over the reported use of its official seal on a circular issued by the Chief Electoral Officer in Kerala.

The issue, connected to election procedures in the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency, has escalated beyond what was initially described as a procedural lapse. The BJP has rejected that characterisation, asserting that the episode points to a deliberate attempt to compromise the integrity of the electoral process.

At the centre of the controversy is an official, Jaisal P. Azeez, whose alleged affiliations with organisations such as the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) and the Students' Federation of India (SFI) have been flagged by the party. The BJP has claimed that the officer, also described as being linked to a CPI(M)-backed NGO union, was intentionally assigned election-related responsibilities.

Although action has reportedly been taken against the individual who issued the circular, the BJP maintains that this step is an attempt to deflect attention from what it describes as a deeper nexus involving sections of the state administration and election officials.

The party has also raised questions about appointments within the election machinery. It has objected to a Labour Department official serving as Returning Officer in Nemom, where Labour Minister V. Sivankutty is a candidate, noting that several officials involved in the process are drawn from the same department.

BJP state general secretary S. Suresh has sought clarity on how the party’s seal was accessed and why, out of numerous submissions made to the Commission, a BJP-linked document was allegedly selected and circulated.

The party has further accused the state unit of the Election Commission of functioning in a partisan manner, even describing it as a “B-team” of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)). It has also alleged that members of the NGO union are attempting to undermine the conduct of the polls.

In its formal complaint, the BJP has called for the immediate transfer of the official concerned and demanded a thorough investigation into the matter. It has also accused the ruling establishment of using administrative influence to interfere with the electoral process.

With IANS inputs