The Kerala high court on Wednesday held that a petition filed against the election of BJP MP and Union minister of state Suresh Gopi from Thrissur alleging certain corrupt practices during the campaign was maintainable.
The high court bench of Justice Kauser Edappagath dismissed an interim application filed by Gopi, the sole BJP MP from Kerala, challenging the election petition filed by Binoy AS, an All India Youth Federation (AIYF) leader and a voter from Thrissur.
“The upshot of the findings is that challenge to the maintainable of the election petition raised on all grounds must fail. Hence the preliminary objections raised by the respondent (Gopi) is overruled. Election petition is not liable to be dismissed in limine,” the court said.
Gopi had won the Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency in the 2024 general elections, defeating his nearest rival VS Sunil Kumar of the Communist Party of India by a margin of 74,686 votes.
The petitioner Binoy had challenged the election of Gopi, claiming that he and his associates indulged in certain “corrupt practices” under section 123 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
In the petition, Binoy claimed that Gopi misused religious symbols to plead voters to choose him and promised gifts including mobile phones to certain voters. A campaigner in Gopi’s team also urged voters to think of a certain Hindu deity while voting for Gopi, the petition had claimed.
{{/usCountry}}In the petition, Binoy claimed that Gopi misused religious symbols to plead voters to choose him and promised gifts including mobile phones to certain voters. A campaigner in Gopi’s team also urged voters to think of a certain Hindu deity while voting for Gopi, the petition had claimed.
{{/usCountry}}The high court noted that one of the allegations with respect to the distribution of shade umbrellas to vendors at a vegetable market during the election campaign is struck off.
“The respondent (Gopi) shall face trial for the other corrupt practices alleged in the petition,” the court said.
Gopi said he would approach the higher courts against the high court’s ruling.