Ballot tampering in 1989 General Elections in Alappuzha, CEO directs legal action and probe

In the wake of veteran CPM leader G Sudhakaran's revelation of ballot tampering in the 1989 General Elections, the Chief Electoral Officer of Kerala has initiated legal action. Rathan U Kelkar, CEO of Kerala, directed the District Election Officer of Alappuzha to conduct a detailed probe and register an FIR.

A press note issued by the Office of the CEO, Kerala said that tampering of postal ballots accounted for gross violation of provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, Conduct of Election rules, 1961 and relevant provisions of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Sudhakaran made the controversial disclosure while speaking at a function in Alappuzha on Thursday. He said that during the Lok Sabha elections in Alappuzha, postal ballots were tampered with to favour the CPM candidate.

"Around 15 per cent of votes of members of CPM service organisations were cast in favour of the opponent. The postal ballots were opened, checked and corrected. Even if a case is registered, I don't mind," Sudhakaran said. 

In the 1989 Lok Sabha elections in Alappuzha, Congress candidate Vakkom Purushothaman defeated the CPM candidate K V Devadas by a margin of 25123 votes. Sudhakaran said he was the Election Committee Secretary, and postal ballots were manipulated at the district committee office. "Don't think that if you cast a vote for the other person in the postal ballot, it wouldn't be known. We will open it," he said at the function, adding that often, votes of service organisations are not given to party candidates. 

Responding to Sudhakaran's statement, the Election Commission said that the revelation is being taken seriously. "The elections are held in a fair and just manner. Votes are polled in compliance with relevant rules," the press note said.