The Left Democratic Front (LDF) had released 'digital evidence' of the alleged bogus voting by two men, suspected to be IUML workers, in a polling booth in Kasaragod
Election Commission of India
Thiruvananthapuram: The controversy over bogus votes in the April 23 Lok Sabha polls continued in Kerala, with the Chief Electoral Officer Tuesday seeking an urgent report on complaints of fake votes allegedly by the opposition UDF workers in Kannur and Kasaragod constituencies.
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CEO, Teeka Rama Meena said here that the report was sought from the District Collectors of Kannur and Kasaragod in view of the complaints of the ruling CPI(M)-headed LDF on the alleged bogus voting by the activists of Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), an ally of the Congress-led UDF.
The Left Democratic Front (LDF) had released 'digital evidence' of the alleged bogus voting by two men, suspected to be IUML workers, in a polling booth in Kasaragod.
The CEO's move comes a day after he had confirmed that three women activists of the ruling CPI(M), including a serving panchayat member, cast bogus votes in Kasaragod.
"There will not be any compromise in the actions taken against bogus votes. We are seeing the issue with utmost seriousness. The complaints will be looked into once the reports come," Meena told reporters here.
IUML general secretary K P A Majeed said in Malappuram that the party would look into the allegations after getting a preliminary report from the local units in this regard.
Meanwhile, in an embarrassment to the state police force, local television channels Tuesday aired a purported voice message by some police personnel speaking about rigging in their postal votes.
The audio clip, reportedly circulated in a social media group of the police, could be heard asking postal votes for the police to be given in advance.
While Meena said the complaint on alleged malpractices in postal votes of police was yet to come to his notice, DGP Loknath Behera said "very serious action" would be taken against the guilty if the charges were proved to be correct.
Meanwhile, CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan criticised the Chief Electoral Officer and alleged that Meena was acting in accordance with the UDF's ploy.
"On what basis has the CEO confirmed that the accused had cast bogus vote? The official has no power to ask an elected panchayat member (who faced allegation on the issue) to step down from her position," he told reporters in Kannur.
The CEO was not supposed to take decisions in accordance with the 'media trial' based on the visuals of the alleged bogus voting, he said, adding the CPI(M) was prepared to face any probe over the matter.
On Monday, the CPI(M) had rejected the bogus voting charge and justified the accused women, saying they were doing "open voting" and 'assisting' certain voters who were "unable" to exercise their franchise independently and had welcomed any
probe into the charge.
Asked about the term "open voting" used by the Left to defend the presence of its party workers in the video, Meena had said he was hearing the term for the first time.
"As per our law, there is no open vote. When I asked the Collector about this, he told me the term might have been used in colloquial parlance for assisted or companion vote. Maybe there is a local reference like that.
Even companion vote, the voter must be present inside the booth. They could have brought the voter in a wheel chair," Meena had told reporters yesterday. Triggering widespread controversy, local television channels had aired the CCTV visuals, allegedly showing the three women voting more than twice at polling booth number 17 and 19 at AUP School Pilathara in Kannur district, which is part of Kasaragod constituency.
The video had also shown some local leaders inside the polling booth while the voting took place. Kasaragod is considered the stronghold of CPI(M), which last tasted defeat here in 1984.
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