KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Thursday asked how the invalid votes in the Thrissur Kerala Varma College Union Chairman election became valid in the recounting. Justice TR Ravi asked why the core committee was formed when the returning officer could decide the recounting. The High Court asked these questions in the petition filed by S Sreekuttan, who contested as the chairman candidate of KSU, alleging irregularities in the counting of votes and demanding that the elections be re-conducted.

The college authorities provided copies of the election documents in court, despite the court's directive to produce the original documents. The court then postponed the petition, ordering that the authorities present the original on Friday.

Sreekuttan had alleged that although he won the election by one vote, the college authorities conducted a recount and declared SFI candidate KS Anirudh as the winner by ten votes. It was stated in the petition that the power went off twice during the recounting and irregularities were committed during this time.

Appearing for the petitioner, Adv Mathew Kuzhalnadan explained that the recounting was done on the instructions of the president of the Cochin Devaswom Board, the manager of the college and that such external interference is not permitted under the university's election rules. Following this, the High Court examined the election records.

Invalid votes will be kept aside before the counting of votes. Valid votes are the ones that will be counted. According to records, four of the invalid votes were found to be valid in the recount. The High Court asked how this happened. The number of 'NOTA' votes was also reduced.

"The recounting was decided by a six-member core committee. However, this decision was signed by eight people, including the principal. How can the principal sign this when she is not on the core committee? How did the second person, who was not a member of the core committee, sign the decision?" the court asked.