By IANS,
Thiruvananthapuram : The Congress-led opposition in Kerala Wednesday walked out of the state assembly, protesting against the widespread discrepancies in the voters’ list published last week.
The local bodies elections are likely to be held in September.
Seeking an adjournment motion, Congress member V.D. Satheesan accused officials of NGO Union – which is linked to the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) — for the mess.
Local self government minister Paloly Mohammed Kutty dismissed Satheesan’s argument.
“Voters whose names have been excluded can get their names included till July 15. A list will be published Aug 10 and again people will be given time to see if anyone is left out. There is a proper mechanism to check all discrepancies,” he said.
But opposition leader Oommen Chandy said those who prepared the voters’ list had done a “clever exercise”.
He said that in his Puthupally constituency, a nun had been listed as a voter 142 times.
“While there are other inmates in the convent where Ancy resides, all of them have been left out and from serial number 130 to 272, only Ancy’s name appears,” he said.
“Such instances have now started coming from across the state because your people who prepared the voters’ list did not do a fair job,” Chandy said.
Kerala’s assembly polls are expected to be held in April-May next year.