Kerala - Alappuzha   

LDF candidate wins through draw of lots

Staff Reporter

CPI(M) and Congress candidates tie at 894 votes

ALAPPUZHA: Even destiny seemed to be with the winning front in the elections to Alappuzha municipal council this time. The LDF-DIC(K) surge in the municipality got a shot in the arm when the presiding officer in the Alappuzha municipality, K.G. Raju, declared the LDF candidate in Chungam Ward here, Shobhanakumari, elected after a draw of lots.

Ms. Shobhanakumari of the CPI(M) and Sholly Siddhakumar of the Congress ended with the same number of votes after the counting, including the postal ballot.

In the early stages of counting, Ms. Shobhanakumari was ahead. However, Ms. Sholly caught up with her rival and both the candidates were tied at 894 votes each. Following this, the presiding officer resorted to a draw of lots.

According to the laws that govern the elections to local bodies, the presiding officer should resort to the draw of the lots to decide the winner in case of a tie. Luck favoured Ms. Shobhanakumari and she was declared the winner.

The LDF thus wrested the Chungam Ward from the UDF. It had been won by V.M Bashir of the Congress last time. This time the ward was reserved for women, and Mr. Bashir had to shift to Palace Ward. He has won from there.

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