LDF secures 14 wards in Kannur unopposed as nomination scrutiny ends
KANNUR: With the completion of the final scrutiny of nominations in Kannur, the LDF has secured uncontested victories in 14 wards across the district. The presiding officers have rejected a total of four nominations, two from Anthoor municipality, both filed by UDF candidates, and two from Kannapuram panchayat, one each from the UDF and the BJP rendering the CPM unopposed. LDF candidates have now secured six wards of Kannapuram, three wards of Malapattam panchayat, and five wards of Anthoor municipality. In Anthoor municipality, CPM candidates K V Premarajan in Thalivayal ward and E Rajitha in Kodallur ward were declared winners without facing any opposition. Similarly, in Kannapuram panchayat, Usha Mohan in Ambalapuram ward and Mohanan T E in Chemmaravayal ward were elected unopposed, marking a significant outcome shaped entirely by the scrutiny process rather than electoral competition. In Kannapuram panchayat, the nomination of INC candidate in Ambalapuram ward was rejected after the nominator denied the signature during scrutiny, and in Chemmaravayal ward, the nomination of BJP was rejected because the nominee refused to sign, both under Section 55(2)(c) of the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act. In Anthoor municipality, the nominations in both Thaliyil ward (INC) and Kodallur ward (IUML) were rejected after the respective nominees submitted written and in-person statements confirming that they had not signed the nomination papers. The nomination papers of the Congress in Malappattam and Anthoor and the BJP in Kuthuparamba were rejected on close scrutiny due to fake signatures.