76 nominations rejected in first phase Kerala polls

Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 5 (UNI) A total of 76 nominations were rejected for the first phase of Kerala Assembly polls on April 22, the scrutiny of which was taken up today.

Election Commission sources said after scrutiny, 536 candidates were left in the fray for 59 constituencies in six southern districts of the state.

Thiruvananthapuram district had the highest number of 150 nominations, of which 18 were rejected. The second highest number of 100 nominations were filed from Alapuzha district, of which 11 were rejected, they said.

The EC said 13 nominations out of 93 filed in Kottayam were rejected on scrutiny. In Kollam, there were disputes on seven nominations and of the remaining 85 nominations, 15 were rejected.

Ten out of a total of 44 nominations from Idukki district were rejected, the sources said, adding, in Pathanamthitta, 55 candidates were in the fray of the 64 nominations filed.

Filing of nominations for the first phase closed yesterday.

Prominent candidates whose electoral fortunes would be decided in the first phase of polls are Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, his Cabinet colleagues K M Mani, K R Gouri, M V Raghavan, Babu Divakaran, C F Thomas, K C Venugopal, Adoor Prakash, Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan and N Sakthan and Deputy Speaker N Sundaran Nadar.

Counting of votes would take place on May 11.

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