Dual Voting Complaint Filed Against UDF Councillor in Alappuzha Municipal Polls

Alappuzha: In the Alappuzha Municipal Corporation, where UDF has a majority by one seat, they are facing a major setback. The victory of UDF candidate Shamna Mansoor from the Valiyamaram division has been challenged by filing a complaint with the Election Commission. The issue arises because Shamna allegedly has dual voting rights, which could be a setback. According to a Supreme Court ruling, individuals with dual voting rights are not allowed to contest elections.

Shamna reportedly has votes in both Valiyamaram and Valiyakulam wards. Her name appears in Ward No. 30 (Valiyakulam, Part 1) and in Ward No. 21 (Valiyamaram, Part 2). The LDF candidate from Valiyamaram division, Sajina, has alleged that this violates the Supreme Court directive and demanded a proper investigation. The complaint also requests that Shamna’s oath-taking as a councillor be stayed until the investigation is completed.

In the 53-member Municipal Corporation, no party has a clear majority. The party positions are: UDF – 23, LDF – 22, NDA – 5, SDPI – 1, PDP – 1, Independent – 1.