CPI(M) leader Thomas Isaac revisited the 2006 suicide of Malaysian project official Lee Been Seen while criticising CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
Isaac alleged that the controversy during Kumar’s Kerala PWD tenure raised questions over his administrative record.
He also questioned Kumar’s subsequent Union government roles and appointment as Chief Election Commissioner.
Former Kerala finance minister and CPI(M) leader Thomas Isaac has revived a nearly two-decade-old controversy involving Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, referring to the 2006 suicide of Malaysian project official Lee Been Seen and allegations that emerged during the Kerala Public Works Department (PWD) controversy.
In a Facebook post titled “Who is Gyanesh Kumar? What is the CEC’s past?”, Isaac questioned Kumar’s record as a bureaucrat and alleged that his rise to the post of CEC was linked to his subsequent roles in the Union government. He also called for Kumar’s removal from the position.
Isaac’s comments come amid the ongoing political controversy surrounding the Election Commission and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The Commission has maintained that internal differences and observations among members are part of institutional deliberations and that final decisions were taken unanimously.
2006 Kerala PWD Controversy
Isaac revisited Kumar’s tenure as Kerala PWD secretary during the V.S. Achuthanandan government, when Kumar was transferred from the department after Malaysian contractor Lee Been Seen died by suicide in Kuala Lumpur.
Lee, who was associated with PATI-BEL, a company involved in the World Bank-funded Kerala State Transport Project (KSTP), had reportedly raised concerns over delays in payments and project-related issues.
Isaac alleged that Lee’s suicide note contained allegations of corruption, mismanagement and harassment by PWD officials, with Kumar among those named. The allegations led to a vigilance inquiry and Kumar’s transfer from the PWD.
The dispute was linked to the KSTP road project, where the contractor and the state government differed over delays, including issues related to land acquisition, payments and project execution.
Isaac claimed that the project, initially valued at around ₹216 crore, eventually involved higher costs after compensation payments and revised estimates were approved.
Speaking with The New Indian Express, Isaac said he had not personally examined Lee’s suicide note but referred to the allegations that were discussed at the time.
“I have not personally read Lee Been Seen’s suicide note, but allegations of bribery and demands for money by officials were being discussed at the time. Gyanesh Kumar was among those named in the allegations,” Isaac said.
Kumar’s Later Government Roles
After his Kerala posting, Kumar moved to the Union government and held several senior positions, including roles in the Defence Ministry, Home Ministry, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Ministry of Cooperation. His official profile also lists his earlier assignments in the Kerala government.
Isaac also highlighted Kumar’s role in the Union Home Ministry during the period when Jammu and Kashmir was reorganised after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.
He alleged that these assignments reflected Kumar’s proximity to the BJP-led government, particularly Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Isaac also referred to Kumar’s association with the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.
Appointment As CEC
Isaac also questioned the process through which Kumar was appointed Chief Election Commissioner.
The Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023 changed the composition of the selection panel. Under the law, the committee includes the Prime Minister, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and a Union Cabinet minister nominated by the Prime Minister. The Chief Justice of India is no longer part of the panel.
Kumar became the first CEC appointed under this framework in February 2025. The validity of the 2023 law has been challenged before the Supreme Court.
Isaac alleged that Kumar’s appointment was connected to his earlier roles under the Union government, though he did not provide specific evidence for the claim.
He concluded his post by demanding Kumar’s resignation and calling for an impeachment motion in Parliament. Isaac also said Left parties would organise a campaign from September 28 to October 2 seeking Kumar’s removal.
