Left-leaning student bodies set March on Lok Bhavan to demand CEC’s removal

Left-leaning student organisations will march to the Lok Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram on October 23, demanding that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar be removed. The rally was announced at a joint press briefing on October 17, where opposition leader Pinarayi Vijayan agreed to inaugurate the protest. Leaders of the Communist Party of India and the Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist) will also take part, joining hundreds of students expected on the day. SFI state secretary P.S. Sanjeev blamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for protecting the commissioner and warned that demonstrations will continue until Kumar steps down. The gathering is meant to bring together all left‑wing student groups, strengthening their coordination both within Kerala and nationally. Also speaking at the press conference were AISF state vice‑president Abdullakutty, AIDSO state secretary Aparna and AISF district president S. Abhijith, who pledged support for the march. The protest aims to highlight alleged vote‑count manipulation attributed to the election chief and to pressure authorities for his ouster. ## Context The Chief Election Commissioner heads India’s election machinery and is expected to act impartially. In Kerala, Lok Bhavan houses the state secretariat, making it a symbolic venue for political demonstrations. Left student groups often mobilise around perceived electoral biases, seeking to influence public opinion and policy.