Kerala HC seeks EC reply on Congress’s plea on multiple entries in electoral roll

The Opposition Congress has alleged that there are 4.34 lakh multiple/fake voters in the final voters’ list published for the assembly elections.

The court asked the state government tomake sure that sufficient facilities are given to the customers so that they can make their choice of purchase of liquor in a civilised manner like any other commodity. (File photo)

The Kerala High Court Friday sought an explanation from the Election Commission on a writ petition filed by Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala seeking deletion of fake/multiple entry voters in the electoral roll ahead of the state assembly elections slated for April 6.

The Opposition Congress has alleged that there are 4.34 lakh multiple/fake voters in the final voters’ list published for the assembly elections. Two days ago, the chief electoral officer, Kerala, had directed all district collectors to conduct a booth-level examination of the voters’ list to earmark the multiple/fake entry in the voters’ list in all 140 assembly seats.

A preliminary examination of the returning officers at various constituencies had prima facie ascertained the alleged anomalies in the voters’ list. The election commission has suspended a state government employee in Kasaragod district, who had allegedly issued multiple voter ID cards to a single voter.

Chennithala, in his petition in the high court, said that there have been scores of complaints alleging that there were double votes, fake entries in the electoral rolls, illegal enrolment of votes many times by a single voter, multiple id cards etc.

His petition said, “On a preliminary enquiry conducted at ward level it was found that the complaints were very genuine, warranting urgent remedial measures. A cursory estimate showed that roughly 3,24,441 double votes and 1,09,601 bogus votes in the final electoral roll. Hence, there are a total 4,34,042 lakhs double/fake votes in the final electoral rolls. It is understood that a government employees worked behind the above misfeasance with heavy financial support in a uniform manner with a calculated move to manipulate voters’ list and thereby to make undue political advantage in the ensuing election to the Kerala Legislative Assembly.’’

Shaju Philip

Shaju Philip is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, where he leads the publication's coverage from Kerala. With over 25 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political, religious, and developmental landscape of South India. Expertise, Experience, and Authority Decades of Regional Specialization: Shaju has spent more than two decades documenting the "Kerala Model" of development, its complex communal dynamics, and its high-stakes political environment. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive reporting portfolio includes: Political & Governance Analysis: In-depth tracking of the LDF and UDF coalitions, the growth of the BJP in the state, and the intricate workings of the Kerala administration. Crime & Investigative Journalism: Noted for his coverage of high-profile cases such as the gold smuggling probe, political killings, and the state’s counter-terrorism efforts regarding radicalization modules. Crisis Management: He has led ground-level reporting during major regional crises, including the devastating 2018 floods, the Nipah virus outbreaks, and the Covid-19 pandemic response. ... Read More