Congress Councillors election null and void: EC

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The fate of Tony Oliver, first-time Congress councillor from Valiyathura, hangs in the balance with the State Election Commission (EC) deeming his election null and void following a complaint that he had withheld certain information when filing his nomination. The development, however, will not ruffle the equilibrium in the Corporation Council although the UDF’s strength has dipped to 40 from 41.A dismayed Oliver admitted that he had indeed failed to disclose the information in the affidavit, but added it was a slip rather than a deliberate omission. He said he was planning to move the District Court."I have great faith in the judiciary. I am confident of a favourable decision,’’ he said.Oliver said that the court cases in question had been settled long ago. ‘’There were two cases. The one in 2002 pertained to a gherao of then Mayor J Chandra in connection with the construction of 165 houses for the poor. Rs 54 lakh had been allotted in the budget for the purpose and we had gheraoed her saying that the sum would lapse in March if not utilised. I was fined Rs 300,’’ he said.The second case, also in 2002, pertained to blocking the Chief Engineer, Irrigation, over the construction of a sea wall. He was fined Rs 500 in that case.According to Tony Oliver, both fines were paid and the cases closed. "I did not cheat anyone. I merely forgot to mention these two cases as they were quite minor ones and, in addition to that, closed cases too,’’ he said.The complaints against Tony Oliver were filed by Xavier Lopez, his opponent in the elections, and Roy Francis, a voter. The LDF has a majority with 51 councillors in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, while the UDF has now slipped to 40 with Tony Oliver’s disqualification. The BJP has six councillors and two independents make up the Corporation Council.