Polling o cers suspended over home vote irregularity
In Kannur LS constituency, LDF convener lodges complaint alleging that a BLO misled election ocials to the wrong residence for voting. In Kozhikode, home vote cast by a wrong voter
Kannur District Collector Arun K. Vijayan, also the District Election O cer, took action following a complaint of voter impersonation at booth number 70 of the Kannur Lok Sabha constituency on Saturday. The polling o cer and the booth level o cer (BLO) involved have been suspended pending investigation.
The complaint was formally lodged by the Assembly segment’s assistant returning o cer at the local police station.
Left Democratic Front (LDF) Kannur district convener N. Chandran lodged a complaint alleging that the BLO misled election of£cials to the wrong residence for voting. Instead of directing them to the house of 86-year-old K. Kamalakshi at Keezhathali, the BLO led them to the residence of V. Kamalakshi at Thazhae Chovva where the vote was registered. The LDF further accused a Congress sympathiser and anganwadi teacher of involvement in the impersonation, with the complaint speci£cally naming BLO K. Geeta.
A team comprising Assistant Collector Anoop Garg, district law o cer A. Raj, and assistant returning o cer and Deputy Collector (RR) R. Sreelatha has been tasked with conducting an investigation into the matter. The Collector has set a deadline of 24 hours for a report.
Further, the Collector has sought guidance from the Central Election Commission regarding the validity of the vote in question and any subsequent action.
Four polling o cers were suspended on Saturday
in connection with the alleged casting of a home vote by the wrong voter at Peruvayal in Kozhikode on Friday.
District Collector and District Election O cer Snehil Kumar Singh ordered the suspension of the special polling o cer, polling o cer, micro-observer, and booth-level of£cer on home voting duty.
In the incident, the vote of Janakiyamma Payumpurath, 91, a voter of booth number 84 in Peruvayal, was cast by Janakiyamma Kodassery, 80.
(with input from Kozhikode bureau)