Kerala: SEC disqualifies four independent Kasaragod panchayat members under anti-defection law

By Aishwarya Nair | First Published Jul 3, 2024, 10:43 AM IST

The State Election Commissioner disqualified four independent members of East Eleri Grama Panchayat members who had contested with the Revolutionary Marxist Party's (RMP) 'football' symbol but defied the party's directive to vote for the Congress's presidential candidate in December 2020.

Kasaragod: The State Election Commissioner disqualified four independent East Eleri Grama Panchayat members on Tuesday (July 02). These members had contested with the Revolutionary Marxist Party's (RMP) 'football' symbol but defied the party's directive to vote for the Congress's presidential candidate in December 2020. The disqualified members are Jiji Thomas from Ward No. 1 (Mandapam), Detty Francis from Ward No. 3 (Pallikkunnu), Vineeth T Joseph from Ward No. 10 (Nallompuzha), and Gigi P J from Ward No. 14 (Kamballur).

SEC A. Shajahan's ruling came in response to a petition filed by the current panchayat president Joseph Mutholil in January 2021.

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In the 2015 local body election, a faction within the Congress, led by the former 2010 panchayat president James Panthammakkal, splintered off to form a new group known as the Democratic Development Front (DDF).

The Democratic Development Front (DDF) significantly marginalized the Congress and Kerala Congress (Mani) to just one member each. The DDF secured 10 seats, while the CPM won four. With the CPM's backing, the DDF effectively governed the panchayat for five years. In 2020, the DDF sought to contest using the 'football' symbol, traditionally affiliated with the Congress's ally, the Revolutionary Marxist Party (RMP). To do so, the DDF sought and obtained the RMP's approval, securing written consent for DDF candidates in wards where multiple contenders sought the 'football' symbol.

In 2020, the Congress made a comeback by securing seven seats, equaling the DDF's tally. The CPM captured the remaining two seats. The election for the president's post took place on December 30, 2020, with Joseph Mutholil representing the Congress and Panthammakkal from the DDF, expected to win with the backing of the CPM.

RMP pulled a sneaky move on DDF by issuing a directive to four DDF members, who had previously agreed to run for office as independents, to vote for Congress's Mutholil. However, these members defied the directive and instead voted for Panthammakkal, who ultimately won the election with the support of the CPM.

In November 2022, the rebel group led by Panthammakkal surprisingly joined forces with the Congress, causing frustration and dismay among the official faction.

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