CPI(M) veteran G Sudhakaran booked over statement on tampering postal ballots

Alappuzha, May 16 The Alappuzha South Police filed an FIR on Friday against veteran CPI(M) leader and former state minister G. Sudhakaran after he publicly admitted to tampering with postal ballots during the 1989 Lok Sabha elections. The police filed the FIR based on a report submitted by revenue officials.

Sudhakaran, known for his outspoken views, made the controversial remarks at a public meeting of a CPI(M)-affiliated service organisation in his hometown on Wednesday.

Now retired from active politics, he claimed that while overseeing election-related duties in 1989, he and his colleagues altered postal votes to favour the CPI(M) candidate.

“We brought the postal ballots to our committee office. We found that some of our affiliated employees had not voted for our candidate. So, we tampered with the ballots. Our people should vote for our candidate, but that doesn’t always happen,” Sudhakaran said during his speech, which quickly went viral.

After the media gave it widespread coverage, the Chief Electoral Officer on Thursday directed the Alappuzha District Collector to submit a report.

District revenue officials promptly visited Sudhakaran's residence, recorded his statement, and forwarded it to the Collector, who then passed it on to the CEO.

Based on this report, the Alappuzha South Police registered a case against Sudhakaran under relevant sections of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and other applicable laws.

However, sensing the trouble, Sudhakaran issued a clarification late Thursday, claiming his remarks were taken out of context.

He denied any wrongdoing and said he had merely highlighted that not all party-affiliated persons necessarily vote for party candidates.

But his statement had already triggered a political uproar, with both the Congress and the BJP citing it as validation of their long-standing accusations of rigging against the CPI(M).

Responding to the development, CPI(M) state secretary M.V. Govindan said, “Senior leaders like Sudhakaran must be cautious while making such statements. He has clarified his intent. The CPI(M) does not indulge in such practices. I do not wish to add to the controversy.”

In the 1989 election in question, CPI(M)’s K.V. Devadas lost to Congress candidate Vakkom Purushothaman.

On Friday, Devadas distanced himself from Sudhakaran’s claim, saying no such incident had taken place.

With the matter now under police investigation, questions remain about the feasibility of pursuing the case, given that any physical evidence -- such as the postal ballots -- would have long been destroyed. As a result, legal experts suggest Sudhakaran may escape prosecution without causing lasting damage to the party.

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