Photo:AFP|File
Kochi: The Election Commission (EC) made it clear in the high court that a total of 38,586 rigged votes were spotted in the voters' list so far. Their names will be separately marked in the voters’ list. Those who have double votes will be allowed to go out only after the indelible ink is dried, the EC informed the high court.
There will be many people who have same name and same address and all of them are not rigged voters. The EC filed this explanation in response to the petition filed by Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala. The court will pronounce verdict on this plea on Wednesday.
The EC informed the court that the political parties had pointed out that there were 3,16,671 rigged votes. However, the commission filed a different figure in the court. EC made it clear that the similarity in names and parents’ name can be wrongly spotted by software and all of them cannot be rigged voters. There are only three voters who have votes in different constituencies, EC stated.
Booth Level Officers (BLO) will directly visit the residences of 38,586 voters who were found to have rigged votes. The data collected will be recorded in the voters’ list and the polling officer will inspect the person when he/she arrives for voting.
The person will be allowed to cast vote only after giving an affidavit. A photo of the voter will be captured and they will be allowed to go out only after the indelible ink is dried. The EC also stated in the court that the Commission is committed to conduct the election in the most unbiased way.
As the election notification was issued and code of conduct has come into force, the court will not be able to make serious changes in the voters’ list. It is expected that the court will give suggestions to rectify the errors in the commission’s procedures to ensure transparency in the election process.
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