Thiruvananthapuram polls: Vyshna Suresh cleared to contest after EC reinstatement

Thiruvananthapuram: The State Election Commission has restored Vyshna Suresh’s name in the voters’ list of Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation, Ward No. 27, Muttada, Part No. 5, enabling her to contest as the Congress candidate.

The commission instructed the Corporation’s Electoral Registration Officer to reinstate her name immediately and inform the Commission.

Vyshna’s candidacy was initially in doubt after her name was missing from the final voters’ list, a requirement for contesting elections within the Corporation. Congress had introduced Vaishnav, an IT professional, as the youngest candidate for the Muttada ward, prompting the party to consider alternative nominees when the issue arose.

The Election Commission had removed her name citing an error in the address submitted for voter registration. This followed a complaint from the CPM, which alleged her address was incorrect and requested her removal. Vaishnav had submitted the required documents during a hearing conducted under High Court direction, but her name was still initially omitted from the list.

State Election Commissioner A Shajahan conducted the hearing, taking arguments from Vaishnav, the complainant, and the official in charge of the Corporation election. The Commission announced that her name would be reinstated, resolving the uncertainty and allowing her to contest the upcoming municipal polls.