Senior CPM Leader Removed from Alappuzha Voter List Over Dual Registration

The Election Commission of India has struck senior CPM leader and former Finance Minister T M Thomas Isaac from the voters’ list in Alappuzha after confirming dual registration in two constituencies, a violation of electoral norms. Isaac, previously enrolled as voter 770 in Kidangamparambu ward of Alappuzha municipality under his former MLA office address, failed to appear at a mandated hearing on Thursday despite a notice. Officials, acting on a complaint by Mahila Congress Thathampally Mandalam president Sreelatha, verified his active registration in Kuravankonam, Thiruvananthapuram—his current residence—and promptly deleted the Alappuzha entry. The case highlights ongoing scrutiny of voter roll integrity ahead of local body polls, exposing procedural lapses even among high-profile politicians.

Isaac’s Alappuzha listing dated to his tenure as the constituency’s MLA from 2011 to 2021, when he used the local office as his declared address. The discrepancy surfaced during the draft voters’ list publication for the 2025 revision cycle, triggering Congress accusations of deliberate duplication to retain influence in the coastal stronghold. CPM district secretary M N Rajeev defended Isaac, asserting the registration was “legacy documentation” from his elected term and not intended for misuse. “He resides in Thiruvananthapuram now; there was no malintent,” Rajeev told reporters, framing the issue as administrative oversight rather than fraud. Isaac himself remained unavailable for comment, with party sources indicating he viewed the matter as routine cleanup.

The Election Commission’s swift action aligns with its nationwide drive to eliminate bogus and duplicate entries, having purged over 1.2 crore invalid voters since the 2024 Lok Sabha summary revision. Under Section 17 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, no individual can be enrolled in more than one constituency, with penalties including disqualification from contesting elections for up to six years. In Kerala, where political rivalries run deep, such cases often escalate into partisan battles; Congress leaders hailed the deletion as a victory for transparency, while CPM cadres decried selective targeting. Alappuzha District Collector V R Krishna Teja confirmed the decision was based solely on evidence, with no political pressure influencing the hearing conducted by the Electoral Registration Officer.

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This episode carries broader implications for Kerala’s electoral landscape, where voter list disputes frequently precede polls. With local body elections looming in 2026, both CPM and Congress are intensifying booth-level mobilisation, making clean rolls a flashpoint. Isaac, a two-time MLA and architect of Kerala’s fiscal policies, retains significant sway in Alappuzha despite the delisting, but the incident dents his image as a meticulous administrator. As the state gears up for intensified voter verification drives—including Aadhaar linkage and doorstep enumeration—the Isaac case serves as a cautionary tale: even seasoned leaders must navigate the fine print of democracy’s foundational document, the voters’ list.

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