Enthused and energised by the presence of Prakash Karat, Brinda Karat and Sitaram Yechury, the Big Three of the party, for election campaign in the State, the CPI(M) cadre is on a mission to subvert polling in many constituencies.
Five polling officials were put on suspension for dereliction of duty on Friday as the local CPI(M) leader in Kasaragod Lok Sabha constituency was shown helping a 92-year old woman voter to cast her vote.
According to Election Commission of India guidelines, senior citizens above the age of 85 could vote from their homes itself and they need not take the grueling walk from home to the polling booth and back.
Devi, the nonagenarian voter in booth number 164 of Kasaragod Lok sabha constituency preferred to cast her vote making use of this facility. But on Friday, CPI(M) cadres accompanied the polling officials to show them Devi’s residence. The video images showed that Ganeshan, local bigwig of the CPI(M) influencing and coercing Devi to cast her vote in favour of a person of his choice which she disagrred.
The CCTV showed Devi getting upset over the demeanor of Ganesha and she reportedly complained to the Wayand district police. The district level leaders of other parties stood aghast as the CPI(M) launched its mission to usurp the votes.
The district election officer, based on the investigation he had ordered, put the five polling officials under suspension for dereliction of duty. The ECI rules state that polling agents of any political parties are prohibited from assisting voters in exercising their franchise. The DEO said that the polling officials failed in maintaining the secrecy during voting.
There were few more instances of similar incidents from the district of Kannur, a CPI(M) stronghold. M M Hassa, the president of KPCC told reporters that th CPI(M) were past pasters in derailing and distorting the poll process to suit their convenience.
Kerala goes to the polls on 26 April but the polling officials are busy calling on the senior citizens to ensure that they could cast their vote from their homes itself. The top three CPI(M) leaders, general secretary Sitaram Yechuri, polit bureau members Prakash Karot and Brinda Karat are touring the State as part of election campaign and this has enthused the party cadre to ensure that all votes fall in their kitty.
Interestingly, the CPI(M) cadres are famous for manipulating the polling process. T P Senkumar, the former State Police Chief, in his memoirs “My Life in Police Force” has written about how the CPI(M) leaders and activists cast fake votes during election. Two young IPS officers who were deputed for polling booth duties came across a woman casting 33 votes in a single booth while the presiding officers looed the other way. “When these IPS officers asked the presiding officer about the massive discrepancies, the former was asked to mind their business outside the booths.
If you are particular that this complaint should be registered , it would be the end of your life,” the presiding officer warned the IPS officials, writs Senkumar who was eased out of office after the polling process.
