Revelation of tampering postal votes; police register case against G Sudhakaran

ALAPPUZHA: A case has been registered against former minister and CPM leader G Sudhakaran for his revelation of tampering postal ballots. The case was registered by Alappuzha South police. The police took action after getting legal advice. The case was filed under IPC sections 465, 468, and 471.

Sudhakaran's revelation was that postal ballots cast in favour of the opposition were altered for CPM candidate in the 1989 parliamentary elections. He said this at a public function as part of the state meet of the NGO Union.

'I was the election committee secretary when K V Devadas, the leader of CPM's service organization KSTA, contested in Alappuzha. Me among others opened the postal ballots and modified it. Then 15 % of the votes of the members of CPM service organizations were against Devadas.

The votes were tampered with. The postal ballots given to us were verified and tampered with. The party candidate often does not get the full votes of the service organisations. Do not think that if you seal the postal ballot and hand it over, none will know your decision. When you get a postal ballot for the election, don't do it to anyone else. It's okay if the election commission files a case against me in this incident,' said Sudhakaran said.

The election commission had yesterday registered a case against G Sudhakaran after the incident sparked a big controversy. Soon, a team of officials led by Ambalapuzha Tehsildar K Anwar went to Sudhakaran's house in Alappuzha and collected his statement.