EC confirms Oppn Leader’s allegation of double votes in Kerala; HC orders EC to ensure single vote

Hearing a plea filed by Kerala Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala, the High Court has asked the Election Commission to ensure that those with two votes polls only one. In their interim order, the Kerala HC ordered the Election Commission to take the necessary steps to ensure the same.

Ramesh Chennithala, in his plea, asked the High Court to freeze the double votes in the state ahead of the assembly elections and punish those responsible for the same. He claimed that over four lakh double votes were present in 131 assembly constituencies. While some had claimed that Ramesh’s claims were mere allegations, the Chief Electoral Officer Tikaram Meena submitted that these were indeed true.

Ramesh Chennithala had approached the court after reportedly approaching the Election Commission on multiple occasions and the latter unable to do anything about it. While the senior Congress leader had asked the Court to cancel the votes, the HC ordered the EC to ensure that people with multiple votes don’t exercise the full extent of this illegal measure and not cancel them. The matter will be taken up for further hearing.

Moreover, the latest instruction from the court is only an interim order, as the Election Commission will have to file a detailed affidavit in regards to the various questions put forward by the Opposition Leader. While the EC explained that many of the double votes are not malicious, as people who migrate to other locations might also register there thus having two votes. However, the Court asked the EC why there isn’t a mechanism to eliminate the original vote when the second one is created.