Kochi/Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 17
The Kerala High Court, on Monday, criticised the removal of the Congress candidate Vaishna Suresh from the voters' list , calling the action "unfair" and "deeply unjust".
Vaishna had started her campaign to the Muttada Ward in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, when the authorities stepped in and removed her from the voters' list making her ineligible to contest the December 9 local body polls.
The Court asked why a young woman who had already announced her candidature was suddenly struck off the electoral rolls, and cautioned that political considerations must not influence electoral procedures.
"Is this how a 24-year-old woman who comes forward to contest should be treated?" the Court asked, noting that her documents carried the correct address and that there was no indication she was registered as a voter anywhere else.
It observed that a candidate's right to contest cannot be denied on mere technicalities, particularly in a Corporation election where procedural fairness is crucial.
The Bench directed the State Election Commission to immediately hear Vaishna and restore her name in the voters' list.
If the Commission failed to comply, the Court warned it would not hesitate to invoke its extraordinary powers.
Justice P.V. Kunhikrishnan also instructed the District Collector to decide on Vaishna's appeal before November 19, adding that the High Court would intervene if the deadline was ignored.
Vaishna was removed from the electoral rolls after a complaint by a CPI-M worker, who alleged that her permanent address did not match the address used for her voter registration.
Though her family home is in Muttada, she currently resides in a rented house in Ambalamukku and had voted in the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
After a hearing, her vote was cancelled, prompting the Congress to approach the High Court.
The Congress has also raised counter-allegations, claiming irregularities in the address of Dhanesh Kumar, the CPI-M worker who filed the complaint saying that 22 people were listed as residing under his house number.
Dhanesh denied wrongdoing, calling it a technical issue involving multiple houses under one number.
With the High Court's intervention, the Congress hopes Vaishna can continue as its official candidate.
Vaishna, who resigned from her job to contest the upcoming local body polls, said the developments have been emotionally exhausting.
She had already started her campaign when the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation authorities rejected her appeal forcing her to the approach the High Court.
- IANS
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