The Kerala High Court on Wednesday upheld the State Election Commission's guidelines to prevent bogus voting.
It directed the State EC to ensure that bogus voting would not happen while ruling on a petition filed by Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala charging that there were glaring anomalies in the voters' list.
Chennithala had approached the High Court while pointing out that over 4,32,000 bogus voters were found on the electoral roll for the Assembly polls in the state.
After the Election Commission also conceded that there was veracity in the petition, the court sought suggestions to prevent double voting.
In reply to this, the Commission submitted recommendations such as multiple-entry voters should submit an affidavit at the polling booth that they would cast votes only once. And, also to keep photos of those with multiple entries. These have been upheld by the court.
The Court also directed the Commission that if needed, central forces can be deployed for the smooth conduct of the elections.
Details of 38,000 double entries, collected by the booth-level officers, should be handed over to the polling officers concerned. Strict action should be taken if a voter casts more than one vote. The court made it clear that the election should safeguard the sanctity of democracy.
The opposition leader had also submitted four suggestions in court to prevent bogus voting. As the fundamental points in the suggestions submitted by both the Election Commission and the opposition leader were similar, the Court accepted the suggestions of the Commission.
As per the Election Commission's figures, 38,500 double entries were found. But the petitioner claimed that there were over 4,32,000 double votes.
The petitioner had pointed out that double voting would subvert the elections and requested to prevent such people from casting votes.
Chennithala had also alleged that he had sent five letters to the Election Commission, pointing out the issue of double entries but no action was taken.
Chennithala expresses surprise over EC findings
Meanwhile, Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala expressed surprise over the Election Commission's finding that there are only 38,586 Demographically Similar Entries (DSEs) in the electoral rolls in Kerala.
His reaction comes a day after the poll body informed the Kerala High Court that its intensive analysis has led to the identification of only 38,586 DSEs from 3,16,671 entries in electoral rolls.
The EC said it found the 38,586 DSEs after analysing the data provided by political parties.
Speaking to reporters here, Chennithala said, "The EC had told the court that there are only 38,586DSEs. That's very surprising. Bogus voters were added to the voter's list across the state.
Across 140 constituencies, I have lodged 4,34,000 complaints regarding the bogus voters.. I stand firm by that. The complaints were verified."
He further said the matter of multiple entries was not minor and it amounts to 'sabotaging' the election process.
The High Court had directed the EC to take steps to ensure that voters having their names entered in voters list in multiple constituencies cast only one vote in the April 6 polls to the State Assembly.
The court issued the direction on a plea by Chennithala, seeking to restrain fake and multiple entry voters from participating in the polls.
The Leader of Opposition had alleged that a scrutiny of the electoral rolls would prove that there were more than 4,34,042 fake and multiple entry voters in these Assembly segments.
