Kozhikode: Former IAS officer and civil rights activist Kannan Gopinathan on Wednesday alleged that the Central government has prevented him from contesting in the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections by failing to process his resignation for over six years.

In a post on X addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gopinathan said his resignation from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) has remained pending for nearly 6.5 years, leaving him without salary or formal release from service.

“This has stopped me from professionally moving on and has also prevented me from contesting elections in Kerala,” he wrote, terming the delay as “pure harassment.”

Gopinathan, who resigned from the IAS in protest against the abrogation of Article 370 and the communication blackout in Jammu and Kashmir, recently joined the Congress party ahead of the Kerala Assembly polls. He was reportedly being considered as a candidate from the Palakkad constituency.

Responding earlier to speculation about his candidature, Gopinathan had expressed willingness to contest if the party required, noting his long-standing connection with the people of Palakkad since childhood. He hails from the Kottayam district in Kerala.

In his post, he urged the Prime Minister to intervene and direct the authorities to process his resignation, stating that blocking his right to resign and participate in the democratic process was “pathetic and petty,” regardless of his political views.