KOCHI: In an unprecedented move, a panel of aggrieved investors, under the banner of the ‘Nikshepaka Samrakshana Samithi’, is set to contest the election to the governing body of the Perumbavoor Urban Cooperative Society on Sunday. However, they face a stiff hurdle: only 8,000 members of the 16,995-strong society are eligible to cast their votes as the voters’ list has not been updated for years.
“We fear that the official panel — with the outside backing of the Congress party — would try to rig the election by employing ballot stuffing. Nevertheless, we are reaching out to voters in person and urging them to vote out the representatives of those who carried out the `100 crore-odd investment scam in the society,” Mayinkutty N A, secretary of the samithi, told TNIE.
Moreover, the voters’ list does not include the photos of members, and, further complicating the issue, indelible ink will not be used in the election. “The majority of co-operative societies in the state are governed by a single party. So, over the years, they have been trying to increase their vote share and cut down on the opposition’s casting rights. We will approach the High Court requesting a transparent election to all societies in Kerala,” he said.
President-hopeful Shanavas expressed his desire for a smooth election process. “We sincerely hope that all the investors get every penny of their investments as early as possible. There won’t be any foul play in the election from our side,” he said.
The election was necessitated after the society president resigned after the scam broke out. Members can cast their votes between 9am and 4pm and results will be announced the same day.