Tripunithura Candidate's Name Change Request Rejected by Returning Officer
The returning officer for the Tripunithura constituency has firmly rejected a request from the NDA candidate to modify her name on the official voting machine. The candidate, Anjali P V, had petitioned to have her name displayed as Anjali Nair, a name she uses prominently in her public life and election campaigning.
Election Process Already Underway
The returning officer cited that the election process had already been initiated, making any changes at this stage impossible. Home voting commenced on March 30, with polling scheduled for April 9. The officer emphasized that altering the candidate's name would require suspending the entire election process, which is not feasible and would adversely affect the completion of the election by the set date.
Hearing Following High Court Direction
A hearing was conducted on Saturday morning by the returning officer, following a recent directive from the high court based on the candidate's petition. Anjali P V had filed her nomination papers using her actual name, which was subsequently carried on the voting machine. However, she argued in her petition that using Anjali Nair, the name she is known by publicly, would prevent confusion among voters and safeguard her prospects of securing votes.
Key Reasons for Rejection
The returning officer outlined several critical reasons for the rejection:
- No objection raised during draft ballot inspection: Neither the candidate nor her representative raised any objection regarding the use of her actual name during the draft ballot inspection held on March 28.
- Delayed request: The formal request for the name change was filed on March 31, which was one day after the home voting process had already started.
- No confusion among voters: Since there is no other candidate with the same name contesting from the Tripunithura constituency, the issue of voter confusion is minimal. The voting machine includes the candidate's photo and symbol, providing clear identification.
- Impracticality of changes: Implementing a name change would necessitate suspending the election process, which is not only impossible but would also disrupt the scheduled polling on April 9.
Based on these comprehensive reasons, the returning officer decisively rejected the candidate's request during the hearing, upholding the integrity and timeline of the election process.
