District Collector Snehil Kumar Singh asked the Kozhikode Corporation secretary to produce proof that copies of ‘Thilakkam’, the local body’s progress report released recently, had been distributed among the councilors earlier.
The move comes after the Secretary submitted a report to the Joint Director of the Department of Local Government stating that a progress report was published and published on October 26 before the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) for Local Government Polls came into force.
The report says that one million copies were printed and given to councilors on condition that they not be distributed. However, United Democratic Front (UDF) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) councilors in the corporation denied receiving any copy of ‘Thilakkam’. They even claimed that the progress report released during the October 26 development seminar had a different front page than the one now being distributed to voters.
‘Thilakkam’ has landed the Left Democratic Front (LDF) in a quagmire in the city after opposition parties filed a complaint of violation of the election code on the ground that LDF councilors distributed copies of progress reports among voters during their campaign. “The UDF complained that the report did not carry the name of the printer or the number of copies printed. Besides, it was also alleged that the company exceeded the budget of ₹6,000 sanctioned by the state government for the purpose and demanded to add the excess budget to the total expenditure of the candidates,” said Shamin Sebastian, deputy collector and nodal officer for poll enforcement.
The BJP even produced photographic evidence that copies of ‘Thilakkam’ were stored at the CPI(M) party office in Eranhipalam. BJP candidate for Karaparamba ward Navya Haridas complained that LDF leaders and candidates were continuing to distribute the progress report despite the Collector’s order against it.
The District Collector, who is in charge of MCC enforcement in the district, found substance in the prima facie complaints and asked the company secretary for a report.
Party presidents of UDF councilors KC Shobhita and K. Moideeen Koya claimed that the details of ‘Thilakkam’ were not included in the share register of the company. The UDF plans to move the court in this regard.
Published – 07 Dec 2025 21:12 IST
