In snub to CPM & poll panel, Vyshna ‘s eligibility restored

Campaigning in the Muttada ward of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, 24-year-old candidate Vaishna Suresh secured an order from the State Election Commission that allows her to both vote and contest in the upcoming local body polls.

- HD Bureau

Her candidature had been in doubt after she was removed from the voters list, but the commission's directive followed a ruling from the Kerala High Court that found the removal decision to be “unfair” and urged fair hearing before dismissing eligibility.

The dispute arose when a complaint by a branch worker of the Opposition party alleged that Suresh’s voter registration included an incorrect address. The Election Commission initially removed her name from the final electoral roll for the corporation boundary, rendering her ineligible to stand according to the rule requiring a candidate's name to appear on the electoral roll of any ward within the corporation.