Kochi (Kerala) [India], March 29 (ANI): Former Kerala Chief Minister and Congress leader Oommen Chandy on Monday termed the multiple entries of voters in the electoral roll for the upcoming state Assembly polls as a very ‘serious matter’.
“The issue raised by Ramesh Chennithala is very serious regarding the election. It was approved by the Election Commission. The court also agreed. Some of the names were brought to the notice of the EC officials. But it is very serious that more than one vote has come in the name of a voter,” Chandy told ANI.
Meanwhile, the Kerala High Court on Monday directed the Election Commission to ensure that voters with multiple entries vote only once in the upcoming state Assembly elections. The court gave the interim order on the petition filed by Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala, in which he sought restraining of fake and multiple entries of voters’ name in the voters’ list.
Chennithala sought criminal action against, “those who are responsible for, including those who aided and abetted in breach of official duty in connection with the preparation of electoral roll which facilitated fake/multiple entries in the electoral roll published for the election to the Kerala Legislative Assembly”.
The petition sought the court to give a directive to the Election Commission to delete or freeze 4,34,042 bogus and multiple entries of names in the electoral rolls for Assembly elections in Kerala.
Elections for the 140-member Kerala Assembly will be held in a single phase on April 6. The counting of votes will take place on May 2. (ANI)
