K. Kunhiraman | Photo: Mathrubhumi
Kasaragod: Uduma MLA K. Kunhiraman responded to the allegations that he and the LDF candidate threatened a presiding officer during election.
Kunhiraman said that it was the presiding officer who created problems at the booth. “The booth, where the incident took place was adjacent to where I was to vote. A voter named Ravikumar was not allowed to exercise his franchise. I interfered only when a voter’s constitutional right was violated. Actually, a case should be booked against the presiding officer for preventing the voter from exercising his franchise,” the MLA said.
Presiding officer K. M. Sreekumar, who is a teacher with the Agriculture university, took to Facebook to raise the issue. He later filed a complaint with the state election commission.
Sreekumar was on election duty at GLPS school Kizhakkumbhagam ward at Alakode village near Bekal Fort in Uduma constituency. Sreekumar alleged that on the day of polling, block panchayat candidate K. Manikandan and Kunhiraman MLA threatened him over inspecting voter’s identity cards.
In the Facebook post, Sreekumar said that Kunhiraman threatened to chop Sreekumar’s leg off if he failed to follow the MLA’s instructions. The presiding officer also said that police officers were eyewitnesses to the incident.
Sreekumar is an office bearer of a teacher’s union leader affiliated to a Left party.