UDF alleges errors in voters’ list for local body polls; warns legal action

Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala assembly, V D Satheesan on Saturday criticised the recently published voters' list for the upcoming local body polls, alleging widespread irregularities, and warned that the UDF would take ''legal action'' if the deadline to rectify the errors is not extended.

The Congress-led UDF questioned how a free and fair election could be conducted using a voters' list that, according to them, ''is riddled with errors''.

Speaking to reporters, Satheesan said the UDF would initiate legal proceedings if the time to make corrections in the list, published on July 23, is not extended by at least 30 days.

''Many names of those who voted last time are missing. Names of people who died three or four years ago are still on the list,'' he alleged.

The Congress leader also claimed that several voters' names had been moved from the wards they reside in and added to other wards. ''Even people from the same household have been included in different wards,'' he claimed. He further alleged that some officials who collected voter information had ''manipulated the list with the help of local CPM leaders''.

Satheesan pointed out that although the ward delimitation exercise has been completed and the voters' list published, the ward sketches have not yet been provided.

''Now, people are being asked to apply for corrections within 15 days—something that has never happened before,'' he claimed.

''In this situation, the time to rectify errors in the voters' list should be extended to at least 30 days. There is a deliberate attempt to prevent the correction of irregularities,'' he alleged. He charged that the Election Commission was ''acting in line with the wishes of the CPM leadership.'' ''The commission is trying to sabotage the election by ensuring that polling does not end even by 10 pm. If it refuses to reconsider its stand, the UDF will take legal action,'' he claimed. Satheesan also alleged that the division of wards was carried out ''in violation of a directive issued by the High Court.'' The date for the local body polls is yet to be announced.

However, there was no immediate response from the LDF.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)