Suresh Gopi's brother faces double vote allegation; Name found in voters list in both Kollam and Thrissur

KOLLAM: Union Minister Suresh Gopi's brother, Subhash Gopi, is under suspicion of having cast two votes during the last Lok Sabha elections. Subhash Gopi and his wife Rani Subhash have votes in the Kollam and Thrissur Lok Sabha constituencies. Both their names are listed in the Kollam voter list at the address of the family home, Lakshmi Nivas. They have their vote at booth number 84 in the Eravipuram constituency.

Subhash's name is at serial number 1116 in the voter list. In the last Lok Sabha elections, Subhash Gopi and his wife also had votes in Thrissur. The allegations of double voting against Subhash came up after a controversy arose over Suresh Gopi's transfer of his vote to Thrissur.

KPCC Political Affairs Committee member TN Prathapan filed a complaint against Suresh Gopi with the Thrissur City Police Commissioner, alleging illegal transfer of votes to Thrissur just before the last Lok Sabha elections. Prathapan alleged a criminal conspiracy in the move.

The complaint states that Suresh Gopi, a permanent resident of Thiruvananthapuram, had transferred his votes to the Thrissur assembly constituency through illegal means, including by making false affidavits.

The vote was cast at booth number 115 in the Thrissur assembly constituency. According to the Representation of the People Act, only a permanent resident can cast their vote at that booth. For decades, Suresh Gopi and his family have been permanent residents of house number 22/1788 in the Sasthamangalam division of the Thiruvananthapuram assembly constituency. Suresh Gopi added his name to booth number 115 just before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.