Close on the heels of the Assembly poll dates in Kerala, the state has been rife with complaints about double votes and illegal pollsters. Following these issues, the UDF has alleged that there were irregularities in the postal vote in Kannur. According to reports, officials who came to collect postal votes “did not have an identity card with a photo”.
The ‘officials’ who arrived yesterday to collect postal votes in Mundayam Parambil in the Peravoor constituency came with an identity card that did not have a photo of the official. UDF activists have alleged that these irregularities are being perpetrated by left-leaning officials. Following the issue, Peravoor MLA Sunny Joseph arrived at the spot and he got into a verbal altercation with the ‘officials’.
According to sources, only the presiding officer and the cameraman had an official card with a photo. The identity card of one of the returning officer had only his name, and another did not have a photo or a name. Meanwhile, the district collector said that they are probing into the matter, as well as the ‘officials’ who came without a photo identity card. Other allegations on the matter include complaints of non-compliance of procedures while collecting postal votes and that the move was made without informing the UDF booth agent or the candidate. Addressing the concerns,
AICC general secretary KC Venugopal said that there were widespread postal ballot frauds in the state. “Postal ballot is given to those who do not even have a proper identity card, and this was caught red-handed in Peravoor. The Commission should take action against anti-democratic measures,” he said, adding that the names of Congress leaders have also been added to the list to avoid any controversy over the double vote.
