Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 21 (NationPress) Veena S. Nair, the State General Secretary of Youth Congress, filed a formal grievance with the Kerala Election Commission on Friday. She is advocating for action against officials who allegedly removed UDF candidate Vaishna S.L. from the voters' list in the Muttada ward of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, just prior to the local body elections.

Following this, Vaishna, a 24-year-old, sought intervention from the Kerala High Court. The court, after reviewing her plea, instructed the relevant authorities to reassess her situation, warning that failure to reinstate her name would compel them to exercise their special powers.

Subsequently, under this firm directive, Vaishna's name was reinstated, allowing her to continue her election campaign.

In her complaint, Veena Nair accuses the implicated officials—Electoral Registration Officer G.R. Prathapachandran and hearing officials Karthika G.M—of serious procedural errors and potential partisan behavior.

The Election Commission noted that the officials had removed Vaishna's name based solely on an objection petition, denying her the chance to defend herself, thus breaching the principles of natural justice.

During a hearing on November 12, 2025, no evidence was presented to validate the claim that Vaishna was not a resident of the ward.

Instead of dismissing the objection, the officials proceeded to remove her name the very next day, which has been described as “unilateral and unjustifiable.”

Despite providing multiple residency proofs, including her EPIC card, Aadhaar, driving license, passport, and bank passbook, all indicating her permanent address at Sudha Bhavan, Muttada, these documents were overlooked during the verification.

According to Veena’s complaint, the officials relied on a clerk's report without adequate investigation or justification.

She asserts that the Election Commission's guidelines clearly state that anyone whose identity and address can be confirmed is eligible to remain on the voters' list.

“Removing a legally registered voter's name without valid justification is not only a serious dereliction of duty but also a direct threat to the democratic framework,” the complaint states.

The complaint calls for an investigation and strict measures to prevent future occurrences.

This incident has ignited political controversy, with opposition parties claiming there are deliberate attempts to undermine the candidacy of Congress-led UDF candidates in significant wards.

The Commission is anticipated to review the complaint in the upcoming days.