The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : LDF accused of manipulating electoral process

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Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

LDF accused of manipulating electoral process

Special Correspondent

Thiruvananthapuram: The BJP district committee and the District Congress Committee have accused the LDF of manipulating the electoral process to retain power in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation Council.

A release quoting DCC president V.S. Sivakumar alleged widespread irregularities in the draft voters list for elections to the council.

He said the list violated the assurance that population would be the criterion for delimitation of wards. “The earlier understanding was that the number of voters in each ward will be between 8,000 and 10,000. But, the draft list shows a huge disparity in the number. Many of the voters on the list for the 2009 Assembly elections have been left out on the draft list.”

Mr.Sivakumar alleged efforts to erase the natural boundaries of the Corporation wards and divide UDF majority areas. Most of the LDF- held wards had been left untouched, he observed.

Mr.Sivakumar said the list of polling stations had also led to complaints from the public. Many voters would have to travel kilometres to exercise their franchise, he said.

The BJP district committee said the draft voters list and the polling stations revealed a conspiracy by the LDF to retain power by any means. A press note quoting party district president Karamana Jayan called on the State Election Commission for urgent steps to ensure free and fair elections.

It said officials had fallen over themselves to protect the interests of the CPI(M). Mr.Jayan said sufficient time was not given to file complaints about ward delimitation, voters list and polling stations. He said the party would move the Election Commission seeking its intervention.

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