District Collector N.S.K. Umesh, who is also the district election officer and returning officer for Ernakulam Parliament constituency, has ordered the closure of a medical store opened as an extension of the Food Security Market at Kizhakkambalam, a flagship project of Twenty20, a political outfit promoted by Kitex Group.
The medical store, which offers discounts of up to 80%, was inaugurated by Sabu M. Jacob, president of the Twenty 20, which is contesting from Ernakulam and Chalakkudy Parliament constituencies, on March 21 nearly a week after the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) had become operative. The order to shut down the store was following an inquiry by the MCC Nodal Officer on a petition by two residents of Kizhakkambalam who alleged that it violated Section 123 of the Representation of the People’s Act against bribing voters. The company said that it would seek a legal remedy against the order shortly.
In the hearing, the petitioners alleged that the logo of the food security market as well as the political party was the one and the same and was even available on the products and the bill. This amounted to an inducement to vote in favour of Twenty20, the petitioners alleged.
