A single Commissioner appointed by the Governor: the body that holds Kerala's local body elections

Background

Kerala's most recent local body by-elections were held in 38 wards spread across 12 districts, and the authority that ran them was the State Election Commission, not the Election Commission of India. That body is written into the Constitution itself. Article 243K hands the superintendence, direction and control of electoral rolls, and of every election to the Panchayats, to a State Election Commission. The Commission is a one-member body: a State Election Commissioner whom the Governor appoints. The Governor settles his tenure and conditions of service by rule, and that rule gives way to any law the State legislature passes on the subject. He can be removed only in the same way, and on the same grounds, as a Judge of a High Court, and his service conditions cannot be worsened once he has taken office. Whatever staff the Commission asks for, the Governor has to make available.