Controversy Erupts in Kerala Over Election Commission's Clerical Error

A clerical mistake by the Kerala Election Commission, which involved the circulation of a letter bearing the BJP seal, has ignited a political uproar. The CPI(M) and other parties have raised concerns about the integrity of the electoral process, questioning the relationship between the Election Commission and the BJP. The Commission has since clarified that the error was purely clerical and has urged the public to refrain from spreading misinformation. This incident highlights ongoing tensions in Kerala's political landscape as the Assembly elections approach.

By Narendra Chaudhary Mar 23, 2026, 21:16 IST

Election Commission's Mistake Sparks Outrage

A significant controversy unfolded in Kerala on Monday when a letter from the Election Commission, which featured the seal of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state unit, was circulated online on the last day for submitting nominations for the Assembly elections.

Later that day, the Election Commission clarified that the inclusion of the BJP seal was due to a “purely clerical error.”

The Chief Electoral Officer of Kerala acknowledged the mistake promptly after it was discovered. Consequently, on March 21, a formal letter was issued by the deputy chief electoral officer to retract the erroneous document.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Kerala was the first to raise concerns on social media, sharing a screenshot of a March 21 email that included an affidavit linked to a March 19, 2019, letter sent to political parties nationwide.

This 2019 correspondence outlined regulations regarding the criminal backgrounds of candidates, bore the BJP's Kerala unit seal, and was signed by an Election Commission official.

The CPI(M) accused the BJP of carelessly swapping seals and questioned whether the BJP and the Kerala Chief Electoral Officer had abandoned all pretense of impartiality.

“It is evident that the same power center appears to control both the Election Commission of India and the BJP,” the party claimed. “Even so, at least maintain the courtesy of having two distinct desks.”

The Congress and the Trinamool Congress also supported the CPI(M)'s claims.

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra criticized the Election Commission for finally issuing official letters with the BJP seal.

The Congress' Kerala unit questioned the Election Commission about whether it was operating from the BJP's office, raising concerns about how electoral officials accessed the party's seals.

Congress leader Pawan Khera humorously inquired if the BJP's slogan “Abki baar, Modi sarkar” was also a result of a similar clerical mistake.

The Election Commission explained that the error arose because the BJP's Kerala unit had sought clarification on the 2019 guidelines regarding the disclosure of candidates' criminal records.

Along with their request, the party submitted a photocopy of the original 2019 directive, which bore its seal. The Commission stated that due to an oversight, the party symbol on the submitted document was overlooked, leading to its unintended distribution to other political parties.

Once the mistake was identified, all political parties, district election officers, and returning officers were informed through a formal letter that the erroneous document was withdrawn and should be ignored.

“The public and media are urged to avoid disseminating misleading information stemming from this clerical error,” the Election Commission stated. “We uphold a stringent and foolproof system to ensure the electoral process remains free from any external influence.”