An election petition has been moved challenging the election win of CPI(M) MLA Prof. C. Ravindranath from Thrissur's Manalur Constituency.

C. Ravindranath, who has been the member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly from Puthukkad constituency in Thrissur since 2011, contested from Manalur during the 2026 Assembly election. He had also served as the Minister for General Education from 2018 - 2021.

The challenge is made by Indian National Congress (INC) candidate from the constituency T N Prathapan, who is also former MLA from Kodungallur constituency from 2011 - 2016. He was also elected from Nattika constituency in 2001 and 2006.

Prof. C. Ravindranath won the election by a margin of 126 votes by securing a total of 65,337 votes against T.N. Prathapan who secured only 65,211 votes.

Out of 306 postal ballots 207 ballots were rejected at the pre-counting stage on the ground of non-attestation in Form 13A declaration by poll officers. The election petition is filed alleging that non-attestation of 207 postal ballots were deliberate.

When the matter came up today, Justice Ziyad Rahman A.A granted time to the counsel representing petitioner, who sought time cure the filing defect.

The matter is posted after two weeks.

Case Title: T.N. Prathapan @ Prathapan T.N. v C. Ravindranathan @ Prof. C. Ravindranath

Case No: El. Pet. 4/ 2026 (Filing No.)

Counsel for Petitioner: P. Martin Jose, Ajay Ben Jose, Manjunath Menon, Harikrishnan S. Anna Linda Eden