Daijiworld Media Network - Kochi

Kochi, Apr 1: In a key development on April 1, the Kerala High Court ruled that the election petition challenging the victory of Suresh Gopi from the Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency is legally valid and should move forward to trial.

Gopi, who secured a landmark win in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, marked a significant milestone by opening the account for the Bharatiya Janata Party in Kerala—a state where the party currently has no representation in the 140-member Assembly.

Rejecting an interim plea filed by Gopi, the court dismissed his argument that the petition—alleging corrupt electoral practices—was not maintainable under the law. Delivering the order, Justice Kauser Edappagath stated that the objections raised by the MP lacked merit and that the petition could not be thrown out at this stage.

However, the court did remove one specific allegation concerning the distribution of umbrellas in public areas like markets in Thrissur. This claim was struck down on procedural grounds under the Civil Procedure Code. Despite this, the court made it clear that the remaining accusations would be examined during trial.

The petition was filed by A.S. Binoy, a district leader of the AIYF in Thrissur, seeking to have Gopi’s election declared void under the Representation of the People Act. The complaint accuses Gopi of engaging in multiple forms of electoral malpractice during the campaign.

Key allegations include attempts to sway voters through religious appeals, such as campaign materials featuring imagery of Hindu deities and references to religious themes. The petition also claims that speeches by party leaders encouraged voters to make choices based on religious considerations.

Additionally, the petitioner has alleged that promises of financial and other benefits were made to voters during the Model Code of Conduct period. Some of these instances were reportedly shared on social media platforms, including a Facebook page associated with BJP Thrissur.

Gopi, who currently serves as Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, had won the election by a margin exceeding 70,000 votes. With the High Court declining to dismiss the case, the matter will now proceed to a full trial where the allegations will be closely examined.