The election to form a new governing body for the Kerala State Council for Child Welfare as per the directive of the Kerala High Court on Saturday witnessed unruly scenes as supporters belonging to the Left Democratic Front (LDF) prevented members appointed to the council during the tenure of the United Democratic Front (UDF) rule from casting their votes.
The workers who turned up in in front of the council office at Thycaud prevented several voters from entering the premises. The party workers roughed up DCC vice president Kadakampally Haridas.
According to V.G. Arun, the High Court appointed returning officer for the election, several members complained that they were prevented from exercising their franchise. Of the 1,718 members, only 590 exercised their franchise, he said. “I will submit a detailed report to the court,” he said.
After the UDF came to power, the elected administrative committee was dismantled in 2011 and instead an executive committee headed by Sunil C. Kurian, a former member of the Students Federation of India, was constituted. A probe panel appointed by the present LDF government found financial irregularities in the administration of the council and had recommended a probe by the Crime Branch.
The State government had approached the High Court seeking a direction to defer the July 16 election till a Crime Branch inquiry into allegations of false membership was completed.
However, the court allowed conduct of the election on the directive that the votes cast by 868 members whose membership was disputed be put in a separate box for counting and declaring the result.
