Kerala Governor, Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, on Wednesday (July 1, 2026), assented to the United Democratic Front (UDF) government’s recommendation to appoint N. Seshadrinathan, judge, Family Court, Irinjlakuda, as the Kerala State Election Commissioner (SEC).

The government had come under fire from within the Congress and also the Communist Party of India (Marxist) for nominating an alleged “Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) fellow traveller” to the post.

Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee general secretary P.M. Niyas’ open mutiny against Mr. Seshadrinathan’s nomination seemed to be of no avail, with the Cabinet refusing to roll back the decision based on a recommendation from Local Self-Government Institutions (LSGI) Minister K.M. Shaji.

Mr. Niyas had petitioned Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala to authorise an intelligence inquiry into Mr. Seshadrinathan’s political background. His vociferous objection went viral on social and conservative media, providing the CPI(M) with ammunition to accuse the government of capitulating to the Sangh Parivar.

CPI(M) State secretary M.V. Govindan alleged that the UDF’s decision to nominate him to the post was a covert attempt to give a leg-up to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) electoral chances. He also cited it as the latest manifestation of Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan’s “lurch to the right.”