CPM workers cast fraudulent votes in Erathu Cooperative Bank poll : HC observer’s report

Pathanamthitta: An observer appointed by the High Court has submitted a report that said CPM workers forged identity cards at the voting center in an attempt to win the election at the Adoor Erathu Service Cooperative Bank. The report was submitted by Advocate Arya Gopinath.

The voting was on July 26 and it was conducted in 8 booths at the NSS auditorium at Choorakode. Twenty-two people filed complaints to the returning officer alleging that their votes were cast by others during the election. Following this, a directive was issued to present a government-approved identity card in addition to the ID card issued by the bank.

According to the report, a five-member group under the leadership of the CPM Adoor area secretary, S Manoj, issued threats saying there was no provision in the law to verify other cards except the bank identity cards. After this, Manoj entered the booths and threatened the officials not to demand other identity cards.

By afternoon, a group of youths in front of booth number 3, filled in details on yellow cards that resembled the bank identity cards and then entered booth number 7. The officials in the booth allowed three of them to cast their votes without verifying their credentials. Seeing this, the observer reached the booth. Noticing the observer, the booth officials asked the remaining youths to produce the government-recognised identity cards, but they failed to produce them. They were thus not allowed to vote.

The report also said that following this, the group of youths barged into booth number 2 and cast fraudulent votes without obeying the directives of the returning officer.