The Kerala High Court has ordered the Election Commission of India (EC) to take a decision within two months on representation against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader B. Gopalakrishnan for alleged communal remarks during the recent election campaign in the Guruvayur Assembly constituency.
A Bench of Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas issued the direction while considering such an allegation in a plea filed by Gokul, a Kerala Students’ Union (KSU) leader. The petitioner claimed that the comments were a violation of the Citizens’ Representation Act.
While the court noted that the video had been removed from social media sites, it pointed out the potential harm the remarks could cause to the community.
Mr. Gopalakrishnan, who is in the fray as the NDA candidate from Guruvayur constituency, reportedly spoke about the under-representation of Hindu candidates/MLAs from the constituency, which is 48% Hindu and home to the famous Sri Krishna temple.
After being notified, the police registered a case in this regard. Although the court refrained from making any comments on the matter, it stated that the petitioner should first seek redress from the EC, as it is being represented in this regard.
Published – 27th March 2026 20:00 IST
