KOCHI: LDF independent candidate KP Mohammed Musthafa on Friday approached the Kerala High Court seeking to declare the election of UDF candidate Najeeb Kanthapuram from the Perintalmanna Constituency in Malappuram null and void.
Najeeb Kanthapuram of the Indian Union Muslim League emerged victorious by 38 votes over the LDF's independent candidate in the recent assembly elections.
Musthafa challenged the election mainly on the ground that the 348 postal ballots of the Absentee Voters in the category of senior citizens (AVSC), absentee voters belonging to the PWD category (AVPD) and absentee voters belonging to the Covid category (AVCO) were improperly rejected.
It had materially affected the result of the election so far as the UDF candidate was concerned as the LDF candidate would have bagged not less than 300 votes had the postal ballots not been improperly rejected. Hence, the petitioner sought to set aside the election.
The LDF candidate also sought to declare him as the MLA from the constituency.