Kozhikode records 72.82%, Vadakara 73.25%polling
As many as 19,32,961 voters including 9,07,720 men, 10,25,228 women and 13 transgenders cast their votes; two presiding ocers replaced
On a polling day that saw a large number of voters rushing to polling stations right from the morning, Kozhikode district recorded a polling percentage of 72.82 by 8 p.m. even as several people waited outside the booths for their turn to cast votes.
As many as 19,32,961 voters including 9,07,720 men, 10,25,228 women and 13 transgenders cast their votes in the two Lok Sabha constituencies in the district.
The Kozhikode constituency that consists of Balussery, Elathur, Kozhikode North, Kozhikode South, Beypore, Kunnamangalam and Koduvally assembly constituencies recorded 72.97% polling, while the Vadakara Lok Sabha constituency that consists of Vadakara, Kuttiady, Nadapuram, Koyilandy, Perambra, Thalassery and Koothuparamba assembly segments recorded 73.25% polling by 8 p.m.
Elamaram Kareem, LDF candidate, casting his vote at Savio Higher Secondary School in Kozhikode; UDF candidate M.K. Raghavan casting his vote at Mathrubandhu Vidyasala LP School in Kozhikode; and NDA’s M.T.Ramesh after casting his vote at he Government College of Physical Education, East Hill, in Kozhikode.
The polling process was rather uneventful though there were complaints that it was rather slow.
There were allegations of faults in the electronic voting machines in two booths in the Kozhikode North Assembly segment, where voters complained that the symbol against which the lights ickered were not the ones that they voted for. However, District Collector Snehil Kumar Singh brushed aside the charges. The allegation proved false in booth no. 17 where a test vote was carried
out later in the presence of the complainant. The voter who made the wrong allegation was arrested by the Elathur police.
There was also a similar allegation from booth no. 83 in the same constituency. However, the complainant refused to cast a test vote, the Collector said.
‘Open votes’ (assisted votes) also caused some trouble in two booths. The presiding ocers in booths 61 and 162 in the Kozhikode constituency were changed after they allegedly
made mistakes in following the guidelines regarding open votes. Later, the Collector instructed the other presiding ocers to ensure that the guidelines were strictly followed.
The presiding ocers were asked to allow the companion of an able voter to accompany him/her only up to the voting compartment. However, in cases where the voter is unable to cast vote due to some issues, including blindness, the companion could be allowed to cast vote on their behalf.
However, the issue did not sit well with political parties. Former MLA A. Pradeep Kumar, also the election agent of LDF candidate Elamaram Kareem, complained to the Election Commission against the returning ocer’s ‘unlawful’ act of denying ‘companion votes’ to blind and inrm voters across the district. In the complaint led online,
Mr. Pradeep Kumar pointed out that the returning ocer had issued a direction to the presiding ocers to disallow ‘companion
votes’ as prescribed under rule 49 N of the election rules, causing chaos among voters.
“Many blind and inrm voters who were brought to the polling stations along with their companions to cast their votes were sent back unnecessarily. Some of them are waiting there [at the polling stations], expecting that the returning ocer will reconsider their rights,” the complaint says. He has termed it a “clear incidence of misuse of power and authority”.