No screen name on ballot for actress: Fans won't see 'Anjali Nair' on voting machine

KOCHI: The name of NDA candidate and actress Anjali Nair will remain Anjali P.V. on voting machines and ballot papers for the Tripunithura constituency. Returning Officer V.R. Rakesh has rejected her name-change request for the second time.

Anjali originally filed an application on January 30, which was subsequently rejected. Following this, she approached the High Court, which instructed the Returning Officer to review the matter and reach a definitive decision. A formal hearing was held this Saturday morning to address the petition.

While the candidate is widely known by her screen name, Anjali Nair, her official legal name is Anjali P.V.

Returning officer’s ruling

The Returning Officer cited several logistical and procedural reasons for the rejection:

• Timeline Constraints: The election process is well underway, and home voting has already commenced. Modifying the name now would require reprinting postal ballots and reconfiguring voting machines—a task that cannot be completed by the April 9 deadline.
• Lack of Prior Objection: No documentation proving an earlier request was produced, and no objections were raised during the draft scrutiny of ballot papers on March 28.
• Voter Clarity: The officer maintained that voters will not be confused, as the ballot clearly displays the candidate’s photograph, name, and symbol.
• Uniqueness: There are no other candidates named "Anjali" on the ballot, further reducing the risk of identity confusion.

Anjali Nair has labeled the decision "politically motivated" and stated that she will determine her next course of action after consulting with party leadership.