Kochi: United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate in Vadakara Lok Sabha constituency, Shafi Parambil, has moved the Kerala High Court seeking deployment of central forces in polling booths to prevent possible bogus voting in the April 26 elections.
The petition has been filed by District Congress Committee (DCC) president K Praveen Kumar, who is also the chief election agent of the Congress candidate.
The petition seeks the High Court to issue a directive to the Election Commission to deploy central forces in all booths in the constituency and make arrangements for recording the voting procedures.
“Despite the steps taken by the Election Commission for a free and fair election, bogus votes are cast on every occasion by CPM cadres. The votes are cast in the name of persons who are dead, or those who are abroad or working elsewhere (in the country),” the petition states.
The petition states that deployment of central forces is a necessity because polling officers and police officers are mostly deputed at booths on political affiliation and they would aid CPM cadre to cast bogus votes.
Majority of the polling booths in the constituency are either hyper-sensitive or sensitive. Unless the entire polling process is videographed, fairness cannot be ensured, the petition states. It also says that unless central forces are deployed in all booths the voters and polling agents will not be able to exercise their franchise without fear.
Praveen Kumar, in his petition, said he moved the court as the election commission did not take any action even after he and the candidate approached the authority.
Shafi, the MLA representing Palakkad assembly constituency, is fielded in Vadakara against CPM veteran and Mattannur MLA K K Shailaja.