LDF student organisations marched to Lok Bhavan on Friday to demand the sacking of CEC Gyanesh Kumar over the SIR row. Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the protest, which police stopped before it reached the venue. CPI leader K Rajan said, "The protest would continue until Kumar was removed as election commissioner."

Keralam Assembly LoP Pinarayi Vijayan, inaugurated the march.

Thiruvananthapuram: On the day new Keralam Governor Om Prakash Mathur assumed office, student organisations affiliated with the LDF on Friday took out a protest march to Lok Bhavan here, demanding the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar over the SIR row.

The Leader of the Opposition in the Keralam Assembly, Pinarayi Vijayan, inaugurated the march.

Left party leaders were absent from Mathur's swearing-in ceremony at Lok Bhavan in the afternoon.

Police said the protest march began at 3 pm, with activists from the SFI, AISF, KSC(M), SSAI and AIDSO participating.

CPI leader and MLA K Rajan led the march, which police stopped before it could reach Lok Bhavan, officials said.

He alleged that the Centre was shielding Gyanesh Kumar despite allegations of irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

He said the protest would continue until Kumar was removed as chief election commissioner.

Rajan and other student leaders addressed the gathering as well.