The Kerala Students Union (KSU) is planning to move the High Court alleging foul play in recounting in the Sree Kerala Varma College elections on Wednesday in which Students Federation of India (SFI) candidate was declared winner for the chairman post.
The KSU submitted a compliant to the Vice-Chancellor of Calicut University alleging that the SFI torpedoed the college election in which a KSU candidate was initially declared winner. The KSU also demanded a re-election.
After much twist and turns that extended till midnight on Wednesday, SFI candidate K.S. Aniruddhan was declared elected chairman of Sree Kerala Varma College. The SFI leader was declared winner by 11 votes after a recount held late in the night.
KSU candidate S. Sreekuttan, a visually-impaired third year Political Science student, was declared winner initially by one vote. Even as KSU and Congress leaders started celebrating the victory after four decades in the college, SFI leaders demanded re-counting.
Tension prevailed on the campus as KSU leaders alleged malpractice in the recounting. A police team was deployed on the campus to avoid untoward incidents.
KSU leaders said power supply to the counting centre was disrupted at least twice during recounting. They alleged that many SFI activists entered the counting room during that time. The election process was torpedoed with the support of teachers at the counting room, they alleged. The KSU also alleged that duplicate ballot papers were used to sabotage the election result.
KSU State chief Aloysius Xavier said the union was opposed to the manner in which recounting was held at the college.
“Even though we demanded recounting during daytime, the returning officer insisted on doing it at night itself. The teachers with Left affiliation supported the attempt to upset the recounting. Though power supply was disrupted for almost an-hour-and-a-half, the returning officer refused to postpone recounting,” he said.
However, the SFI leadership denied the charges and claimed that they demanded recounting as both candidates garnered equal numbers of votes.
Meanwhile, Principal in-charge of the college T.D. Sobha said recounting was held on Wednesday night itself on a directive of the president of the Cochin Devaswom Board (CDB), which manages the college. Admitting it, M.K. Sudharsan, president, CDB, said he directed to complete the procedures as per rules to avoid complications.
Meanwhile, AICC general secretary K.C. Venugopal, Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan, KPCC president K. Sudhakaran, and vice-president V.T. Balram alleged foul play in recounting and criticised the SFI.
In a statement, Mr. Satheesan said Sreekuttan’s victory was the victory of democracy, and it was the decision of the students of Kerala Varma College. But the SFI, which could not accept KSU’s victory, sabotaged it through a midnight recounting, he alleged. Some politically biased faculty of the college also supported it, he said.
(With inputs from PTI)
