MLA T Siddique in dual voter list scandal in Kerala

Kalpetta: Kalpetta MLA T Siddique is at the centre of a row after being found listed as a voter in both Kozhikode and Wayanad. CPI M Wayanad district secretary K Rafiq released the official records on social media, calling it a clear case of bogus voting by a sitting legislator.

The documents show Siddique registered in Kozhikode district’s Perumanna panchayat, ward 20, Panniyurkulam, with serial number 480, while also appearing in Wayanad at serial number 799 in Kalpetta municipality, division 25, Onivayal. “It is highly condemnable that a responsible people’s representative is involved in bogus voting,” Rafiq said.

Confronted with the exposure, Siddique tried to shift responsibility onto electoral officers, claiming the duplication was the result of their lapse and insisting the lists were not final. He admitted that he had originally been a voter in Perumanna and applied to move his vote to Kalpetta, but argued that removing the old entry was the officials’ duty. “The lapse happened on their part. The responsibility lies with the election system,” he said at a press conference.

Siddique’s explanation has only deepened criticism, with opponents arguing that an MLA cannot wash his hands of accountability while benefiting from two entries in the rolls. The controversy has raised fresh concerns about electoral integrity and the conduct of elected representatives.