Kerala HC dismisses CPI(M) leader's plea against election of K Babu in 2021 assembly polls

Kerala HC dismisses CPI(M) leader's plea against election of K Babu in 2021 assembly polls

The Kerala High Court on Thursday rejected CPI(M) leader M Swaraj's plea seeking invalidation of the election of Congress leader and former Kerala minister K Babu from the Thrippunithura seat in the 2021 assembly polls.

Justice P G Ajithkumar dismissed the plea by Swaraj in which he had alleged that Babu had used religious symbols during his poll campaigns to canvass votes in his favour.

The detailed order is not yet available on the court website.

In the petition, Swaraj had accused Babu and other Congress workers of canvassing votes in the name of Lord Ayyappa. The CPI(M) leader had alleged that, as a result, the election was vitiated by corrupt practices under several provisions of The Representation of the People Act.

The court's decision was welcomed by the Congress and Babu.

Babu told TV channels that he was happy with the verdict, and had been confident that the truth would finally come out, as it ''was a fabricated case'' against him.

''We had never printed any religious symbols on our voting slips,'' he said.

Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly V D Satheesan commented that Babu had won the 2021 assembly poll from Thrippunithura ''overcoming all the tricks'' allegedly employed by the CPI(M).

He said in a Facebook post that the high court's decision was a victory of democracy and a slap on the face of those who ridiculed or questioned Babu's win.

Babu remarked that the Left Front and its candidate who lost were unable to come to terms with their defeat, and that is why the election petition was filed against him.

''I would request the Left Front and its candidate to at least now stop such unnecessary moves, and accept the court verdict,'' he said.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)