Bogus voting: Repoll at 4 booths in Kerala

The Election Commission has decided to go for repolling at four polling booths in North Kerala in the wake of bogus voting.

Three booths in Kasargod constituency and one in Kannur will be going to the polls again on May 19. The Election Commission nullified the polling at these booths held on April 23, a statement from the office of Kerala chief electoral officer said.

It is for the first time in Kerala that repolling is being ordered in the wake of bogus voting. Already cases were registered against several activists of CPM and the Indian Union Muslim League for bogus voting. Video evidences confirmed same persons turning up for voting for more than one time. Earlier there were instances of repolling owing to technical issues only, said sources.

The Election Commission decided to nullify the polling at the four booths considering reports on Kerala chief electoral officer, returning officers and election observers. In Kasargod constituency three booth of Kaliyaserry (which comes under Kannur district) are going for repolling - booth 19 of Pilathara, booth 69 of Puthiyangadi Jama-ath HS North block and booth 70 of Jama-ath HS South Block. The one polling booth in Kannur going to repolling is booth no 166 of Pamburuthi in Taliparamba.

Kasargod was one of the seats that witnessed fierce battle this time with the Congress trying to win the seat that was being held by the left-front over the last three decades. The recent murder of two Youth Congress workers allegedly by CPM workers was being highlighted by the Congress.

The CPM leadership in Kerala had openly criticised the Kerala Chief Electoral Officer Teeka Ram Meena for taking action against CPM workers for bogus voting.