CPI M Flags Suspicious Rise of 2.19 Lakh New Voter Applications in Kannur

Kannur: CPI M district secretary K K Ragesh has alleged that there has been abnormal and suspicious interference in the process of adding names to the voters’ list. Speaking at a press conference, he said there is evidence that votes, including those of people from other states, were added using registered mobile numbers without the knowledge of the phone owners.

He pointed out that in booths 204 and 207 of the Taliparamba Assembly constituency, LDF workers verified votes that had been added using OTPs from their own mobile phones and found that three votes, which they had not added, were included.

Up to six votes can be added using a single phone number. In two such phone numbers, three votes from other states were seen to have been added in the status list. These votes were added through Form 8. The names identified as having been added unlawfully are Kamlalani Jena from Odisha, Pinki Kumari from Begusarai, Bihar, and K Vasanthi from Madavaram, Tamil Nadu.

A total of 2,19,239 new voter applications have now been received in the district. There is no circumstance that justifies such a mass increase in voter applications, he said. After the last Assembly election, when three years had passed and the Parliamentary election came, only 90,083 votes were added in the district. However, within one and a half years after the Parliamentary election, 2.19 lakh new voter applications in the district is suspicious. Of these, 99,790 votes have already been added.

Serious probe demanded

A complaint has been submitted to the District Collector regarding these abnormal voter additions. Booth Level Officers (BLOs), who are responsible for verification, do not have clarity on these developments.

When BLOs collect evidence related to voter applications, the information must be shared with political party agents (BLAs). Only then can BLAs raise objections regarding whether a person is a genuine voter. However, when BLAs conduct local- level verification, they are not seeing such a large number of applications. BLOs are also saying that only a small number of voter applications have been received. Yet, applications are coming in large numbers without their knowledge.

Voter additions are done through OTPs on mobile phones. Normally, for manipulation to occur in this process, those handling the server would have to intervene. The Election Commission manages the server. At this stage, no allegation is being raised that they have committed manipulation. “We have certain indications in this matter, but we are not disclosing them now,” Ragesh said.

He alleged that attempts to add more votes have been concentrated in constituencies where the Left is strongly contesting. District and state election officials must examine this abnormal intervention. He demanded an investigation into whether there has been an organised attempt to bring people from other states or places and add them as voters in bulk. State committee member T V Rajesh also attended the press conference.

New voter applications by constituency:

Payyannur: 15,525; Kalliasseri: 24,187; Taliparamba: 22,252; Irikkur: 18,467; Azhikode: 23,020; Kannur: 24,217; Dharmadam: 17,363; Thalassery: 23,406; Koothuparamba: 19,974; Mattannur: 16,191; Peravoor: 14,637.