Stephan Kayyar
Daijiworld Media Network - Kasargod (SP)

Kasargod, Jun 11: People from the region have often been seen discussing the prospects of Manjeshwar Assembly seat going to BJP's kitty. Verdict of Kerala high court (HC) relating to the election petition filed by defeated BJP candidate challenging the result announced by the returning officer, which is awaited soon, can alone provide an answer to this million dollar question.

BJP candidate, K Surendran, who fought the election and lost the battle to Muslim League's P B Abdul Razak, had approached the high court seeking to nullify the election of Razak. He had sighted that franchise had been exercised during the election by 'voters' who had 'died' and several people who were living in foreign countries at the time of election. The investigation undertaken by HC has reached conclusive stage.

K Surendran (L) and P B Abdul Razak

The officials entrusted with the task of investigating the complaint have questioned and obtained information from officials. Information is also being pooled from officers appointed at the polling booths, other staff, and voters.

It has been observed that a vote had been cast in the name of U A Muhammed from Manjehwar gram panchayat,who had died a year before the election, at ninth polling booth of Manjeshwar. Polling officer of the booth, P H Sirajuddin, had appeared before the HC and recorded his evidence to this effect. After finding that Surendran's complaint had substance, the HC has served summons through the police to 259 voters asking them to appear before the HC and adduce evidence. 259 voters who have been allegedly involved with one or the other wrongdoing, have to appear before the HC and give clarification.

Those who have been charged with election malpractices are already being tried at the HC. It is gathered that five persons to whom sumons were served, had threatened the officials serving the summons. One has died, while four are not living at the address given, as per report filed by the officials in the HC. The HC has ordered to serve summons to those who reportedly threatened the staff, with police help.

If fake voting and other election-related malpractices are proved, the possibility of HC declaring the election result as null and void, and declaring Surendran as having been elected cannot be ruled out. Because of this likelihood, people from the district are eagerly awaiting the HC verdict.

In the election held during May 2016, Muslim League candidate had defeated BJP's Surendran with a slender margin of 89 votes. After P B Abdul Razak was declared elected, Surendran had filed election petition in the HC questioning the result. He had alleged that election-related wrongdoings had happened during the polling, and votes had been cast in the name of people living in foreign countries at the time. He had given a list of 259 voters who were not here on the date of election, but in whose names impersonators had cast their votes. Surendran's plea to quash the result has now reached a decisive stage.

The court has asked the central government to provide immigration details of voters who were said to be away from the country on the day of election but in whose names votes were polled. It has put to scrutiny polling officers who functioned that day. In respect of 298 voters who have been accused of voting in the name of others are being examined now. People who have been accused of casting fake votes have to present themselves before the HC and record their statements. The people's curiosity about what will happen if Surendran is able to prove his allegations has been aroused now because of the fact that the case is reaching a stage where verdict from HC is expected to be delivered without much delay.