THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The CPI(M) leadership has alleged massive irregularities in the distribution of postal ballots and urged the State Election Commission to count all postal ballots submitted till 5 p.m. on Tuesday.

Terming the situation `extremely serious', CPI(M) State secretariat member M.A. Baby told a news conference here on Monday that the entire election process had been vitiated by the irregularities in postal ballot distribution and pointed out that this might well lead to several wards producing distorted verdicts.

Roughly 50 per cent of the 2.50 lakh State employees and police personnel on election duty had not been supplied postal ballots.

Given the fact that the margin of victory in several wards would be a few votes, this could have serious consequences on the election outcome, Mr. Baby pointed out.

Citing the Pathanamtitta District Collector's assurance to polling personnel that their postal ballots would be accepted till 5 p.m. on Tuesday, he said this should be made applicable to all the districts.

This would be possible only if the State Election Commission issued appropriate instructions to the Collectors. Postal ballots should be sent by special messengers to all the districts for the purpose. Otherwise, it would have to be assumed that there was a deliberate attempt on the part of all concerned to undermine the election process to the advantage of the ruling UDF, he added.

The CPI(M) secretariat member pointed out that the irregularities in postal ballot supply comprised delayed distribution of ballots, supply of wrong ballots, short-supply of ballots to employees eligible for three votes to the grama panchayat, block panchayat and district panchayat.

This had apparently happened because of the short-circuiting of the election process. Normally, 16 to 20 days would be needed to prepare the ballots and despatch them to the persons concerned.

This had been cut short affecting the distribution of postal ballots and completion of the connected processes, he pointed out.

Mr. Baby said no election in the recent history of the State had been conducted in such `anarchic' manner.

`Rectify anomalies'

The Government and the Election Commission had the duty to rectify the anomalies because the present situation was the result of their inept handling of the election process. Mr. Baby said he himself could not cast his vote in the Palayam area where he has been living for years and had to go to Thirumala, where he lived about eight years ago, to cast his vote.

There are also reports that three candidates in the corporation area had no vote, Mr. Baby pointed out.

The CPI(M) leader said the State Election Commission's attention had been drawn to the irregularities in the distribution of postal ballots and that his party expected quick action from the State Election Commission to rectify the anomalies. When pointed out that the process might delay declaration of results, he said it would be better to have delayed results than wrong results.

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