CPI(M) holds mass night march in Malappuram demanding election chief’s resignation

The march began near EMS Mandiram, the CPI(M) district committee office, passed through Malappuram town and concluded near the Government Taluk Hospital. Participants carried torches, placards, banners and party flags, while raising slogans against Kumar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The procession also featured traditional art performances and chants of “Azadi”.

CPI(M) district leaders, including K.P. Anil, E. Jayan, V. Sasikumar, V.M. Shoukath, K.P. Sumathi and B. Mohammed Razaq, took part in leading the march. A public meeting was held at its conclusion, inaugurated by CPI(M) Polit Bureau member A. Vijayaraghavan. Former Kerala minister K.T. Jaleel also addressed the gathering. District secretary V.P. Anil administered a pledge to defend the Constitution. 

CPI(M) accuses government of undermining voting rights

Addressing the meeting, Vijayaraghavan argued that universal adult suffrage was a constitutional guarantee and accused the BJP-led central government and the Chief Election Commissioner of attempting to undermine it. He alleged that Kumar was acting under the influence of the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Vijayaraghavan also referred to the heavy police and paramilitary deployment in Delhi during the protests, describing the capital as a “city of barricades”. He accused the authorities of restricting democratic freedoms and suppressing minorities.

The CPI(M)'s campaign centres on its opposition to the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The party argues that the process threatens eligible citizens' voting rights and has demanded that it be halted, alongside Kumar's resignation. These claims form part of the party's political position on the revision; the implications of the process remain contested. 

Vijayaraghavan also criticised the Kerala government's approach to the BJP, accusing the state leadership of compromising with the ruling party at the centre. His remarks extended the meeting's focus from electoral administration to the wider political struggle against the BJP.

Solidarity With the Delhi Protests

The Malappuram march was part of the CPI(M)'s wider mobilisation in support of protests in Delhi, where youth and student organisations, political activists and opposition leaders have demanded Kumar's removal. The party has condemned police detentions and restrictions on demonstrations, arguing that the right to protest and the independence of constitutional institutions are essential to defending democracy.

By organising a large night march in Kerala, the Malappuram district committee sought to extend the campaign beyond the national capital and mobilise public support for the demand to defend voting rights. The event demonstrates how the CPI(M) has combined local demonstrations with solidarity actions linked to the national campaign against the SIR process.