Allegations of bogus voting in Dharmadom

Kozhikode: After complaints of widespread fake voting emerged from Payyannur, similar complaints emerged from Dharmadom, where CM Pinarayi Vijayan is contesting against NDA candidate K Ranjith. Ranjith alleged on Friday that BJP representatives had witnessed large-scale irregularities during visits to multiple polling stations, including impersonation. He said a formal complaint was submitted to the returning officer on the polling day.He cited unusually high polling percentages in booths within the CM's constituency, including 90.64% in booth 174 (Kovoor), 91.05% in booth 196 (Cherikkal) and 91.32% in booth 177 (Pottanpara anganwadi). He claimed the figures were inflated due to votes being cast in the names of people who were absent in Dharmadom. He alleged that NDA booth agents were not allowed to sit in many booths.He claimed that votes were cast in the names of people residing abroad. Citing an example, he said a vote was recorded in the name of a voter in booth 66 (Paduvilayi LP School) who is currently in London. He alleged that dozens of open votes were recorded in certain booths: 60 open votes in booth 198, often under intimidation. He alleged that 6,000-8,000 votes were cast as open votes.CPM rebel candidate in Payyannur V Kunhikrishnan reiterated that CPM resorted to large-scale bogus voting and impersonation using fake identity cards in his constituency. He said that in Kandoth booth, a Hindu woman employee of Velloor co-op bank came to cast votes four times wearing a purdah. The presiding officer caught her in the fourth attempt and made her stand aside. The matter was not reported to the police.UDF leaders said in booth 107, the vote of a CPM councillor's daughter, who is in Canada, was cast. Kunhikrishnan alleged that the votes of several persons, who are in the Gulf, were also cast. He added that fake votes were cast in Payyannur Municipality, Eramam Kuttur, Kankol-Alappadambu areas, often with the support of polling officials.Kunhikrishnan's chief election agent, Rajith Narath sought repolling in booths number 6, 16, 19 and 142 where over 95% polling was recorded. In those booths, 30-40% of the voters did not have identity documents with EPIC numbers. The fact that over 25% voters relied on alternative identity documents is itself indicative of electoral malpractice, he said.