Kerala HC orders action against ‘fake voters’

KOCHI: Complaints about inclusion of ‘

fake voters

’ in

draft electoral roll

cannot be neglected for the reason that

objections

are not raised in the

prescribed form

, the

Kerala high court

has held while ordering action against ‘fake voters’.

Justice P B Suresh Kumar said in the judgment, “True, objections against draft electoral roll are expected to be submitted in the prescribed form, for if objections are vague, the competent authority may not be able to consider the same. But that does not mean that in a given case where the competent authority is satisfied based on complaints or other materials that the name of a person has been included in the electoral roll based on false declaration, he is not without authority to make appropriate corrections in the electoral roll.”

The court considered a petition (WP-C No. 18554/2020) filed by P Jayakanth and Benny Thomas of Idukki through advocate Mathew A Kuzhalnadan.

It was alleged in the petition that a large number of persons not residing ordinarily in Udumbanchola panchayat have been included in the electoral roll based on false declarations given by them. Several persons shown as residing in particular houses are not even know to the owners of those houses. A detailed complaint was filed before Kerala State Election Commission and objections were filed before electoral registration officer of the panchayat.

At the hearing, the petitioners’ counsel submitted that it has become common practice in the state to include persons who are not ordinarily residing in an area in the electoral roll. Even if it is found later in enquiry that they gave false declarations, no action is being taken. Due to this, large-scale enrolments based on false declarations are taking place in the state, the court was told.

Ruling in favour of the petitioners, the court directed for considering the complaint and objections before finalizing the electoral roll and ordered for taking action against the ‘fake voters’.