Malabar Districts Witness High Voter Turnout Amid Sporadic Violence and Allegations
The five districts of Malabar in Kerala experienced a significant surge in voter participation during the recent elections, with Kozhikode emerging as the top-performing district in the state. According to the latest figures released by the Election Commission, Kozhikode recorded an impressive turnout of 81.36%. This high level of engagement was observed across several constituencies, with Kunnamangalam leading at 84.83%, followed closely by Beypore at 83.77%, where Public Works Department Minister P A Mohamed Riyas was a candidate.
Intense Political Contests and Voter Apprehensions
Long queues formed outside polling booths from the early morning hours, reflecting the intense political contests even in traditional Left strongholds. Analysts suggest that apart from closely fought battles, apprehensions among voters, particularly in Muslim-majority areas following the SIR exercise, contributed to the increased turnout. Many feared they might be excluded if they did not cast their ballots.
Political leaders offered differing interpretations of the high voter participation. United Democratic Front (UDF) leaders attributed the rise to a strong anti-incumbency sentiment against the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF). In contrast, CPM state secretary M V Govindan asserted that the LDF would benefit from the elevated turnout.
District-Wise Turnout Highlights
Malappuram district registered a notable increase of nearly four percentage points, rising from 75.8% in 2021 to 79.82% this election cycle. Eight of its sixteen constituencies recorded polling above 80%, with Wandoor leading at 81.33%.
Kannur, a traditional Left bastion, recorded a turnout of 78.6%. Within the district, Mattannur registered the highest participation at 82.24%, while Irikkur recorded the lowest at 74.32%.
Kasaragod also saw an increase in poll percentage, rising from 76.6% in 2021 to 79.11%, with Manjeshwaram recording the highest at 81.04%. Wayanad recorded a poll percentage of 78.81%.
Incidents of Violence and Electoral Malpractices
Despite the largely peaceful voting process, sporadic instances of violence were reported, particularly in Kannur. Four booth agents sustained injuries in alleged attacks by CPM members. The incidents included booth agent Rajesh M P at Malappatanam and Suresh Kanayi of Booth 61 in Payyannur.
Additionally, two NDA booth agents at Taliparamba and Mattannur were injured in attacks, also allegedly perpetrated by CPM activists. The Priyadharshini Mandiram at Mattannur came under attack during the polling process.
In a separate incident, an LDF booth agent at Mayyil allegedly suffered stab injuries while returning after casting his vote. P P Prakashan, aged 50, was admitted to AKG Hospital, with allegations pointing to a Congress activist, though the party has denied the charge.
Allegations of Bogus Voting and Impersonation
Allegations of electoral malpractices surfaced in several constituencies. In Payyannur, the UDF raised complaints about bogus voting and impersonation. UDF-supported independent candidate V Kunhikrishnan alleged widespread bogus voting in areas like Kandoth and Karammal booths, vowing to lodge a formal complaint with the Election Commission.
In Thrikkaripur, UDF candidate Sandeep Warrier alleged fake voting at the Puthulode booth, claiming that the vote of a person currently abroad had been cast. He also reported that his polling agent was manhandled when he objected to the irregularity.
Other Notable Incidents and Delays
Police booked B M Jamal, the chief election agent of Uduma UDF candidate K Neelakandan, under Section 170 of the BNS for creating tension at a polling booth at Bekal Islamia LP School. Jamal entered the booth wearing smart glasses equipped with a camera and Bluetooth, raising security concerns.
In Kuttiyadi, expat voter Poomullakandy Zeenath reported that when she arrived to vote at booth 47, she was informed that her vote had already been cast via postal ballot. Additionally, a polling official was removed from election duty in Wayanad for allegedly asking voters inside the polling booth to vote for the Lotus symbol.
Polling extended late into the night across many booths in Malabar, allegedly due to a slow pace of voting and time lost because of EVM glitches. This extension contributed to the overall high turnout figures reported by the Election Commission.
The elections in Malabar, while demonstrating robust democratic participation, were shadowed by allegations of violence and irregularities, highlighting the intense political competition in the region.
