Kochi, July 30: The Kerala High Court has issued notice to Payyanur MLA V. Kunjikrishnan on an election petition filed by his defeated rival, T.I. Madhusoodanan, challenging the validity of the CPM legislator’s victory in the 2026 Kerala Assembly elections.
Madhusoodanan, who contested the election from the Payyanur Assembly constituency, has sought to have Kunjikrishnan’s election declared void, alleging that the result was influenced by a sustained campaign of false and defamatory propaganda during the election period.
According to the petition, Kunjikrishnan and his supporters falsely portrayed Madhusoodanan as being involved in the alleged misappropriation of funds connected with the Rakshasakshi Fund. The petitioner claimed that the accusations were entirely baseless and were circulated without any documentary evidence to support them.
The petition further alleged that campaign speeches repeatedly projected him as a tainted individual, damaging his reputation and misleading voters. Madhusoodanan contended that the alleged false campaign materially affected the electoral outcome by creating a distorted public perception of him among the electorate.
Taking note of the petition, the High Court issued notice to Kunjikrishnan, directing him to respond to the allegations raised in the election challenge.
However, the court also observed that the petition appeared to suffer from certain procedural defects. It said the question of maintainability would have to be decided before examining the allegations on their merits. The court will first determine whether the petition satisfies the statutory requirements governing election petitions and is legally maintainable.
Only if the petition is found to be maintainable will the High Court proceed with a detailed examination of the allegations and the evidence placed before it. The court clarified that the issuance of notice should not be construed as an opinion on the merits of the case, and that the preliminary issue of maintainability will be decided before the election challenge is taken up for further hearing.
