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The Lok Sabha constituency of Idukki recorded a voters’ turnout of 66.38 percent after polling concluded across the constituency late on Friday.
The assembly-wise voting percentage was as follows: Devikulam (64.32), Idukki (63.45), Udumbanchola (68.53), Peermade (65.28), Muvattupuzha (68.26) and Kothamangalam (69.61). Long queues to cast votes were reported in many booths of Thodupuzha, Muvattupuzha, and Kothamangalam.
Isolated incidents of bogus voting were reported in the constituency on Friday. The Kumily police arrested a local secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] while attempting to cast a bogus vote. The arrested man has been identified as Biju Kollimala of Chakkupallom. According to leaders, he had already cast his vote at a booth in the Peermade constituency and tried to cast a vote at the Chakkupallom government tribal school later. When United Democratic Front (UDF) polling agents opposed the move, and the police reached the spot and recorded the arrest of the man.
In another incident, polling officials prevented double voting by a man at Kajanappara under the Udumbanchola Assembly constituency. Kajanappara resident K. Vijayan had already cast his vote in Tamil Nadu and reached the number 16 booth here for voting. As the polling agent of UDF challenged the move, the man decided not to cast the vote and tried to flee from the polling station. However, officials allowed the man to move out from the booth only after completing the fake vote-related procedures.
Meanwhile, UDF candidate Dean Kuriakose alleged that the CPI(M) made a widespread attempt to cast bogus votes in Idukki. Mr. Kuriakose said that the CPI(M) branch committee secretary was caught while attempting to cast bogus votes in Chakkupallom panchayat near Kumily. “He was caught due to the timely intervention of UDF workers. The CPI(M) attempted bogus voting out of fear of failure. UDF has complained to the presiding officer about the matter.” Said Mr Kuriakose.
LDF candidate Joice George cast his vote at the number 88 polling booth at the anganvadi of Mulakuvally in Vazhathoppe under the Idukki Assembly constituency. UDF candidate Dean Kuriakose voted at the number 80 polling booth of St George LPS, Kulappuram, near Paingottur in the Muvattupuzha assembly constituency. NDA’s Bharat Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS) candidate Sangeetha Vishwanathan cast her vote at Guruvijayam LP School Vadoorkkara in Thrissur constituency.
Edamalakkudy, the first tribal grama panchayat inside the Munnar forest division in the State recorded a voting percent of 53.65 in the Parliament elections held on Friday. According to officials, three polling booths were set up in the tribal panchayat. The voting in Edamalakkudy tribal school was 52.95, Parappayarkudy was 34.28, and Mulakutharakkudy was 53.65. Of the 1,844 voters, 1,036 persons cast their votes. The information from Parappayarkudy and Mulakutharakkudy booth was collected at intervals and using the police wireless set, it was handed over to the collectorate due to the absence of mobile network. The voting percentage of assembly elections is only 46.34 in 2021.
