Kerala polls: State election commission seeks report on charges of fake Aadhaar cards in Payyannur

The Kerala State Election Commission has initiated action following a complaint alleging large-scale fabrication of fake Aadhaar cards in Payyannur, Kannur, to facilitate bogus voting.

Chief Electoral Officer Rathan U Kelkar has sought an urgent report from Kannur District Collector Arun K. Vijayan, directing immediate submission of findings. Further action will be decided after examining the report, officials said.

The complaint submitted by the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee also alleges widespread inclusion of duplicate votes in the Payyanur and Kalliyasseri Assembly constituencies.

The issue gained political traction after K.C. Venugopal, AICC general secretary, publicly alleged that fake Aadhaar cards were being manufactured in Payyannur.

Addressing an election rally, he claimed that the operation was being carried out from the third floor of the local area committee office of Communist Party of India (Marxist).

Mr. Venugopal further alleged that the CPI(M), facing electoral defeat, was reviving “old tactics,” including bogus voting.

He also stated that evidence to substantiate the claim was available and would be produced.

Following these allegations, the KPCC formally approached the Election Commission, prompting the current action by the Chief Electoral Officer.