Dead candidate gets 3,573 votes in Orissa

A dead candidate of the Samrudha Orissa party has polled 3,573 votes during the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls.

Somnath Madkami, a candidate of the party from the Malkangiri Assembly constituency, was shot dead by suspected Naxals on April 9.

District collector Nitin Bhanudas Jawale said under the law only when candidates of recognised political parties die during the election process, polls are countermanded. “The Samrudha Orissa is not a recognised political party, hence Madkami's name remained on the EVM,” he said.

On poll day, however, Madakami received 3,573 votes.

“Though my father died before the polls, people did not allow his contribution to be forgotten. The votes polled by my father have shown that people were willing to defy the Maoist call for poll boycott.” Madkami's son Lalit told HT.