Thiruvananthapuram: The principal of the Kattakada Christian College, Dr G J Shyju, who allegedly colluded with local SFI leaders in the university union election impersonation row, has said he replaced the elected university union councillor's name in his letter addressed to the university by 'mistake'.

The principal wrote a letter to the university replacing Anakha, who had won as University Union Councillor (UUC) post in the college elections held on December 12, with Visakh instead as the UUC.

The college students registered a formal complaint with the University Registrar in this regard. After the letter was forwarded, a difference of opinion surfaced among the local SFI leadership. The allegations soon reached the CPM leadership and, subsequently, the principal started receiving calls from several quarters.

The principal soon sent a letter to the university registrar on May 13 stating that the name of A Visakh had been mistakenly included. The University officials are considering the same as evidence of the principal admitting his 'grave lapse'.

Dr G J Shyju is an official candidate of Congress-backed organisations in the election to the Kerala University Senate. The BJP too has pitched in, accusing the Congress and the CPM of a conspiracy.

Anakha sticks to her stance

Did Anakha, who actually won the college election to the post of UUC, submit her resignation? College principal Shyju recalled that she had conveyed her willingness to resign.

According to sources, Anakha says injustice was meted out to her by deleting her name, though it was she who had actually won the election. She had openly conveyed all the incidents that happened in the college to CPM area secretary P S Harikumar.

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None can be simply made UCC

If the student who won the university union councillor position in the college union election needs to be replaced, the winning candidate should first submit their resignation - then the university and college should issue notifications for conducting a re-election to the post. There is no legal provision for simply including the name of another student in place of the winning candidate.

The Lyngdoh Committee guidelines state that if a vacancy arises in a key post within two months of holding the election, the poll should be conducted again.

If the vacancy arises after this stipulated period, then the vice-chairman can take up the chairman post and the joint secretary can be given the general secretary's post. The Lyngdoh report, though, doesn’t specify guidelines for the UUC post.

SFI expels student leader

Students' Federation of India (SFI) meanwhile expelled A Visakh, 'who tried to become a university union office-bearer by striking off the name of a girl who had won the college union elections and including his name instead', from the post of Kattakada SFI area committee secretary and from the SFI district committee.

The CPM and Kerala University have launched investigations into the episode. Following the revelation of the malpractice allegedly plotted by certain people in the CPM and SFI, its student faction, the Kerala University vice-chancellor as put off the university union election scheduled for May 26.

'Manorama' had revealed on Tuesday the impersonation attempt by Visakh: his name replaced Anakha who had won as University Union Councillor (UUC) post in the elections held at Christian College, Kattakada, on December 12.

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SFI state secretariat called an emergency meeting on Tuesday and took corrective action after the expose revealed the illegal bid to make a person who didn’t contest the elections. SFI, in a press release, said despite knowing that his name had been included in the list without having been elected, Visakh did not take corrective actions nor informed people in the authority.

The CPM state secretariat, which discussed the issue, deputed senior leader C Jayan Babu to call the SFI Kattakada fraction meeting and seek an explanation. Party Kovalam area secretary P S Harikumar sought Anakha's reaction. The district committee meeting scheduled on May 19 will decide on the future course of action.

Meanwhile, seeking action on the impersonation allegation, KSU workers led by state president Aloysius Xavier rushed to Kerala University. He also complained to the state DGP.

Grave lapse, says VC; principal to be shifted

Kerala University vice-chancellor Dr Mohan Kunnummel said a grave lapse occurred in the college election process. The Syndicate meeting to be held on May 20 will decide the future course of action, he said.

College principal Dr G J Shyju, who wrote a letter to the university deleting Anakha's name and suggesting Visakh instead as the UUC will be shifted from his position.

As per the direction of the VC, Shyju arrived at the university and gave an explanation. He said the mail was sent to the university registrar to remove the name of Visakh, whose name had been 'mistakenly' included.

This mail was sent on May 13 after it became clear that this impersonation, done soon after the college union elections in December, would be exposed.

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