Thiruvananthapuram, April 9 Minor clashes and protests over alleged fraudulent voting were reported from various parts of Kerala during the Assembly elections on Thursday.
A minor scuffle broke out between Congress and BJP activists in Manalur, Thrissur district, after UDF candidate T N Prathapan arrived in the area.
According to police, BJP activists prevented people accompanying Prathapan from entering the polling booth premises, leading to the scuffle.
In Wadakkanchery, also in Thrissur district, a voter, Sajeev, was unable to cast his vote after election officials informed him that it had already been recorded as a postal ballot.
This triggered protests by BJP activists, prompting police intervention. Although officials offered to allow him to cast a tender vote, he declined.
BJP candidate T S Ullas Babu later arrived at the booth and staged a protest.
A similar incident was reported in Kuttiady in Kozhikode district, where a woman was denied the right to vote after it was found that her vote had already been cast as a postal ballot.
CPI(M) rebel leaders V Kunhikrishnan and T K Govindan, contesting from Payyannur and Taliparamba constituencies in Kannur district with the support of the UDF, lodged complaints with the Election Commission alleging large-scale fraudulent voting and booth capturing by Left workers.
They also alleged that some individuals voted multiple times at polling booths.
There were complaints that UDF booth agents were attacked by LDF workers in Taliparamba and Mattanur constituencies.
In Perumathura in Thiruvananthapuram, LDF and UDF activists clashed following allegations that Left workers had illegally entered a polling booth. Police soon reached the spot and dispersed the groups.
In Cherkala in Kasaragod, BJP activists staged a protest after an LDF candidate allegedly entered a polling booth. Police intervened and asked the candidate, Shanavas Padhoor, to leave the premises, which he complied with.
In Nadapuram in Kozhikode, clashes broke out between UDF and LDF activists after Left workers alleged fraudulent voting by Congress members. Police later reached the area and removed workers from both fronts.
At Malampuzha and Shoranur in Palakkad district, Thrikkaripur in Kasaragod, Vattiyoorkavu in Thiruvananthapuram, Tripunithura in Ernakulam, and Beypore in Kozhikode, complaints emerged that votes had been cast in the names of original voters, triggering protests.
The affected voters were later permitted to cast tender votes.
If a voter finds that someone has already voted in their name, they can inform the presiding officer and, after proving their identity with valid documents, cast a tendered ballot instead of using the voting machine.
In Kalpetta in Wayanad, a polling agent was removed after it was found that she was simultaneously working as an ASHA worker.
In a separate incident in Uduma in Kasaragod, a Congress agent was caught using "smart spectacles" inside a polling booth.
At a polling booth in Badaje in Manjeshwar, Kasaragod, a defect was noticed in a voting machine that recorded more votes than were actually polled.
Polling for all 140 Assembly constituencies in Kerala commenced at 7 am and concluded at 6 pm.
The elections are crucial in determining whether the ruling LDF will secure a third consecutive term, the UDF will make a comeback, or the BJP will spring a surprise in an otherwise bipolar contest.
