Kochi: K Surendran withdraws petition

Kochi: BJP state general secretary K Surendran on Tuesday withdrew the petition in the Kerala High Court which alleged irregularities in the conduct of the Manjeswaram Assembly election. Surendran had earlier sought permission to withdraw the petition citing that he is unable to proceed with the case since witnesses don’t produce themselves before the court.

The High Court on Tuesday granted this prayer. Surendran had suffered defeat at the hands of UDF candidate P.B. Abdul Rasaq in the 2016 assembly election for 89 votes. Surendran had filed the petition alleging that bogus votes were cast in the election in the name of deceased people and those who are abroad. Rasaq died during evidence collection process.

 in the case. Though Surendran filed the petition to withdraw the case, the court asked him to publicize it in the Gazette and follow other procedures. However, the defendant argued that penalty should be imposed if the petition was allowed to be withdrawn. The court did not entertain this stand.  However, the court orderd to take Rs 42,000 from the amount Surendran had deposited while filing the case as cost towards Election Commission for producing electronic voting machines and taking them back.