Thiruvananthapuram, 11 March (H.S.):The Kerala Cabinet has recommended the appointment of senior bureaucrat K.G. Sanalkumar as the new State Election Commissioner. Sanalkumar is currently serving as the Secretary of the Law Department in the Kerala government.

The recommendation was made during a Cabinet meeting held on Tuesday. The State government will now forward the Cabinet’s proposal to the Governor for formal approval and appointment.

K.G. Sanalkumar has an extensive background in the judicial and legal administration sectors. In July 2023, the Kerala government appointed him as the Law Secretary after he was serving as a judge in the Chavara Family Court in Kollam district. His appointment to the Law Department was made on a deputation basis through a government order issued by the State.

Sanalkumar began his professional career as a lawyer after completing his LLB and LLM degrees from the Thiruvananthapuram Law Academy Law College. He enrolled as an advocate in 1989 and practiced law before joining the judicial service.

In 1998, he entered the judicial service as a Munsiff at Vaikom, marking the beginning of a long career in Kerala’s subordinate judiciary. Over the years, he held several important judicial positions across the State.

During his service, Sanalkumar worked in various courts including Vadakkanchery, Thalassery, Cherthala and Kollam as a Magistrate. He also served as Munsiff-Magistrate at Sasthamkotta and later as Munsiff at Pathanamthitta.

He subsequently moved up the judicial hierarchy, serving as Sub Judge in Ernakulam and later as Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) in Alappuzha. His experience also includes positions such as Additional District Judge in Pathanamthitta, presiding officer of the Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal (MACT) in Pathanamthitta, and Additional District Judge in Kottayam.

Sanalkumar also served as Vigilance Judge in Kottayam, handling cases related to corruption and administrative misconduct.

With decades of experience in the judiciary and legal administration, Sanalkumar is considered a seasoned legal professional with deep knowledge of governance and judicial processes.

Once the Governor approves the Cabinet’s recommendation, he will formally assume charge as the State Election Commissioner, a constitutional authority responsible for supervising and conducting elections to local self-government institutions in Kerala, including panchayats, municipalities, and municipal corporations.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman