Kerala High Court Issues Notice To Union Minister Suresh Gopi On Plea Challenging Lok Sabha Election Results Over Alleged Corrupt Practises

The Kerala High Court issued notice to Union Minister and actor Suresh Gopi in a petition filed by AIYF Thrissur District President, Binoy A. S. challenging the election of the MP from Thrissur constituency. The petitioner alleged that the actor had indulged in many corrupt practices as mentioned under Section 123 of Representation of People Act and therefore the election of the actor is to be declared void. The matter came before the Bench of Justice Kauser Edappagath.“Thus the aforesaid actions of the respondent, his election agent as well as other persons with the consent of respondent amounts to corrupt practice as defined under Sec. 123 of the Representation of People Act, 1951. Hence the election of the respondent to the Lok Sabha from No. 10 Thrissue Lok Sabha constituency is to be declared void.”, urged the petition.In the 2024 Lok Sabha election, Suresh Gopi won from Thrissur constituency in BJP ticket. He is now serving as the Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas in the Union Ministry.The petitioner alleged that the actor had promised monetary and other benefits for voters when the Model Code of Conduct was in place. The petitioner also alleged that the actor appealed for votes in the name of religion. The petitioner stated that many of these instances were openly put in the facebook page “BJP Thrissur”.As per the allegation, the actor promised money as monthly pension to people in panchavadi who will give him their Aadhar details and bank account details. In another video, the petitioner says that there is a video which shows a woman saying she and her family will vote for Suresh Gopi as he had gifted them a mobile phone. The petitioner alleges that there is another video in the facebook where he promises a voter free treatment in the hospital. Further, it is alleged that the election campaigners of the Minister distributed umbrella with slogans promoting the BJP candidate to the merchants and customers in the vegetable market and other public places which they then used throughout the summer. The petitioner further submitted that the day before polling, his election agent gave Rs. 500 for every voter in 'Sivaramapuram colony'. He said that some of the voters who got this amount admitted it before some news channels. There is a case in this regard pending before the Thrissur West Police Station.The petitioner also alleged that during the election campaign, there were flex boards installed which showed him wearing a shirt with the picture of Lord Krishna and Radha. In this regard, a complaint was filed and notice was sent to the election agent of the MP. However, they did not respond to those notices. The petitioner submitted that in some other flex boards, the phot of the actor, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with the Sree Rama Temple was used for campaigning. The petitioner alleged that in another instance, Shri A. P. Abdullakutty, one of the star campaigner for the actor gave a speech to the voters to vote keeping in mind Lord Sree Rama. The petitioner alleged that the Mr. Gopi was using religion to get votes.The matter is next posted to 22nd November.Case Title: Binoy A. S. v Suresh GopiCase No: El.Pet. 1/ 2024

Kerala High Court Issues Notice To Union Minister Suresh Gopi On Plea Challenging Lok Sabha Election Results Over Alleged Corrupt Practises

Manju Elsa Isac

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