Kerala Elections Marred by Allegations of Widespread Fake Voting
Following initial complaints from Payyannur, similar allegations of electoral malpractice have surfaced in Dharmadom, where Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is contesting against NDA candidate K Ranjith. Ranjith raised serious concerns on Friday, accusing the ruling party of orchestrating large-scale irregularities across multiple polling stations.
High Polling Percentages Raise Suspicion
Ranjith pointed to unusually high voter turnout figures in specific booths within the CM's constituency. He highlighted polling percentages of 90.64% in booth 174 (Kovoor), 91.05% in booth 196 (Cherikkal), and 91.32% in booth 177 (Pottanpara anganwadi). According to Ranjith, these numbers are artificially inflated due to votes being cast in the names of absent voters from Dharmadom.
Allegations of Systematic Fraud
The NDA candidate made several specific claims:
- NDA booth agents were allegedly barred from sitting in many polling stations, hindering oversight.
- Votes were reportedly cast in the names of individuals residing abroad, including one voter from booth 66 (Paduvilayi LP School) who is currently in London.
- Dozens of open votes were recorded under intimidation, with 60 such votes in booth 198 alone.
- An estimated 6,000 to 8,000 votes were cast as open votes overall.
A formal complaint detailing these irregularities was submitted to the returning officer on polling day, as confirmed by Ranjith.
Payyannur Constituency Faces Similar Accusations
In a parallel development, CPM rebel candidate V Kunhikrishnan from Payyannur reiterated allegations of large-scale bogus voting and impersonation using fake identity cards in his constituency. He provided vivid examples of electoral misconduct:
- In the Kandoth booth, a Hindu woman employee of Velloor co-op bank was caught attempting to vote for the fourth time while wearing a purdah. The presiding officer intervened on her fourth attempt but did not report the incident to the police.
- UDF leaders reported that in booth 107, the vote of a CPM councillor's daughter, who is in Canada, was illegally cast.
- Kunhikrishnan alleged that votes of several persons working in the Gulf region were also fraudulently cast.
Call for Repolling in Suspicious Booths
Kunhikrishnan's chief election agent, Rajith Narath, has formally sought repolling in booths number 6, 16, 19, and 142, where over 95% polling was recorded. Narath emphasized that in these booths, 30-40% of voters lacked identity documents with EPIC numbers, and over 25% relied on alternative identity documents—a fact he claims is indicative of electoral malpractice.
Kunhikrishnan further alleged that fake votes were cast in areas including Payyannur Municipality, Eramam Kuttur, and Kankol-Alappadambu, often with the tacit support of polling officials. These allegations paint a troubling picture of potential systemic fraud in the Kerala assembly elections, raising questions about the integrity of the electoral process in key constituencies.
