Row Erupts over Appointment of Kerala Chief Electoral Officer Rathan U. Kelkar as Secretary to CM V.D. Satheesan
Opposition leaders say the posting raises concerns over election credibility and cite a similar appointment in West Bengal as a precedent.
- On Saturday, May 23, 2026, the Kerala government appointed Chief Electoral Officer Rathan Kelkar as secretary to Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan, triggering immediate political backlash from opposition parties.
- Kelkar had recently overseen the April 9 Assembly elections where the UDF secured 102 of 140 seats; the CPM state secretariat labeled the appointment a "reward for the services rendered."
- Senior BJP leader K. Surendran and the CPM challenged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to explain his position, citing his past critique of a West Bengal appointment as "the bigger the theft, the bigger the reward."
- Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala defended the decision as the government's prerogative, though critics argued the immediate appointment lacked a cooling period and raised questions about election credibility.
- With Kelkar transitioning to his new role, the state government must submit a panel of names to the Election Commission of India to appoint a successor for the CEO position.
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15 Articles
After Rahul Gandhi’s Bengal attack, Kerala Chief Election Officer new posting sparks questions on EC impartiality
Referring to Rahul’s “BJP-EC chor bazaar” remark, the CPI(M) and BJP in Kerala asked the Congress leader to clarify whether he holds the same position on the appointment of Kelkar as secretary to the Congress chief minister in Kerala.
'Selective outrage': BJP questions Rahul Gandhi over Bengal remarks after Cong-led Kerala govt appoints poll officer as CM secretary
India News: NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday criticised Kerala’s newly elected Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government over t.
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LatestlyControversy over appointment of Keralam CEO Rathan Kelkar as CM's Secy, BJP slams Rahul Gandhi
A controversy has erupted after the UDF government in Keralam on Saturday appointed State Chief Electoral Officer Rathan U Kelkar as the Secretary to Chief Minister VD Satheesan.
CEO Rathan Kelkar appointed Kerala CM Satheesan’s secretary, SDPI calls it unholy nexus
Political parties criticise the appointment of former Chief Electoral Officer Rathan U Khelkar as secretary to the Chief Minister, citing concerns.Rathan U Khelkar appointment, Kerala CM secretary, political criticism election officer, CPM BJP SDPI opposition, democratic values neutrality, election official appointment controversy, UDF government appointments, Congress double standards, Rahul Gandhi criticism, Ramesh Chennithala defence, electio…
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