An election official has been suspended after allegations of supporting ‘double voting’ in Kasaragod constituency in Kerala.
M. Ravi, a booth level officer (BLO) at Cheemeni, faced suspension on April 23 following a complaint implicating him in discrepencies in voters’ list. The action was initiated by District Collector K. Inbasekar after an investigation prompted by a complaint lodged with the Collector’s office.
The complaint, supported by audio evidence, alleged that Mr. Ravi was “complicit in fraudulent voting practices.” The audio clip reportedly caught Mr. Ravi dismissing concerns about double voting, stating it was “inconsequential” and even suggesting that “the Left should receive two votes.”
The complaint was filed by M.V. Shilparaj, a youth recognised for his social work, who raised an alarm after allegedly discovering double votes for a voter on the voters’ list. Mr. Shilparaj promptly reported the matter to the Collector, the taluk office, and the village office, leading to the investigation.
Upon scrutiny, two voter ID numbers for the same person were found on the voters’ list, indicating potential double votes.
