Kerala CEO seeks report from returning officers regarding bogus voting in Kasaragod

Kerala Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Teeka Ram Meena on Saturday sought a report from the returning officers in connection with the allegations of bogus voting in Kasaragod Lok Sabha constituency.

The Kerala CEO has sought reports from the collectors of Kannur and Kasaragod districts. This comes after the Congress alleged bogus voting by the CPI (M) cadres across the district of Kasaragod in the third phase of the Lok Sabha election, which were held on April 23.

Meena had earlier received reports of Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) glitches and bogus voting from several parts of Kerala which went to poll in the third phase of general elections. However, he has denied such reports in a booth in Kovalam which falls under the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency.

Kerala CEO had clarified that news about every vote cast against the hand symbol of Congress was showing lotus symbol on EVM at booth number 151 in Kovalam was false.

"There is a piece of false news spreading that 151 polling booth in Kovalam that every vote is being cast for lotus. Every media is carrying the news similar to the one that happened in Andhra Pradesh (AP). We double checked and no such thing is happening," Meena had said.

On April 23, besides Kasaragod Lok Sabha constituency, elections were held in Wayanad, Kannur, Kollam, Attingal, Thiruvananthapuram, Vadakara, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Ponnani, Palakkad, Alanthur, Thrissur, Chalakudy, Ernakulam, Idukki, Kottayam, Alappuzha, Mavelikkara and Pathanamthitta.