Cash reward post lands youth Congress activist in legal trouble ahead of polls

A case has been registered against a Youth Congress activist in Kerala’s Kayamkulam constituency for allegedly offering a cash reward on social media for predicting the victory margin of a United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate in the upcoming Assembly polls.

According to police officials, the accused had posted on Facebook announcing a cash prize of ₹10,001 for anyone who could accurately predict the margin by which UDF candidate M. Liju would win the April 9 election from Kayamkulam. The post reportedly drew the attention of election authorities, who flagged it as a potential violation of electoral conduct.

An officer from the Kayamkulam police station confirmed that the case was registered on Saturday following a complaint from Election Commission officials . Acting on the complaint, police lodged a First Information Report (FIR) against the activist.

The accused has been booked under Section 192 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) , which pertains to provocation with intent to cause a riot . According to the FIR, the Facebook post was allegedly made with a deliberate political motive and had the potential to incite unrest among the public .

Police said further investigation is underway to determine the extent of the violation and any possible impact on the electoral process.