Thiruvananthapuram: In a first, seven booths in Kerala will go to polls for a second time after several instances of bogus voting were reported from them. The re-polling will take place in the final phase on Sunday, when 59 seats across eight states will also exercise their franchise. All seven booths are from Kannur and Kasargod constituencies in north Kerala.
Kerala witnessed an intense three-cornered fight, with CCTV visuals bringing to light bogus voting practices in Kalliassery and Trikaripur in Kasargod and Taliparamba and Dharmadom in Kannur. Polling in these centres on April 23 was nullified based on the reports submitted by returning officers, chief electoral officer and general observers.
Three more booths were added on Friday apart from the already chosen four. Booth number 52 and 53 at Dharmadaom in Kannur and booth number 48 at Trikaripur in Kasaragod constituency were the latest in addition to booth number 19 at Pilathara AUP School, booth numbers 69 and 70 at Jumaat Higher Secondary School in Kalliassery and booth number 166 at Pamburuthi Mappila AUP School in Taliparamba.
Polling will start at 7 am and end at 6 pm.
A high incidence of bogus voting surfaced after television channels aired video evidence of impersonators casting their votes multiple times. Payyannur’s Pilathara booth was the first to have come up, followed by the rest where re-polling is scheduled. Three women, including a local body member, were caught red-handed. Later on, Chief Electoral Officer Teeka Ram Meena announced casting of bogus votes in Taliparamba and Dharmadom under Kannur.
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