Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala has said that the United Democratic Front (UDF) will challenge the State Election Commission (SEC) decision to use the 2015 voters’ list as the data base for the local body elections later this year.
Addressing a press conference here on Friday, Mr. Chennithala said the State government’s move on delimiting local body wards were politically motivated and intended to give the CPI(M) an upper hand in the electoral outcome.
He said the Opposition had approached the Governor because he was about to sign the ordinance related to the delimitation of wards. The decision came late in the date. Besides, it went against the Census operations. He had pointed out in his letter to the Governor the pitfall in signing the ordinance and the illegality.
This had nothing to do with the CAA issue. The Opposition strongly deplored the Governor’s stand on the CAA and his action of engaging in public discourse in the media. “As head of the State, it was not appropriate for the Governor to indulge in such actions,” he said.
With regard to the voters’ list, he said that using 2015 voters’ list would mean enrolling an estimated 40 lakh new voters.
