Madras High Court's verdict for adequate police protection during the Yercaud bypoll may come today.
Chennai: The Madras High Court will pronounce its verdict on Thursday on a plea from DMK to direct the Election CommÂissÂion to provide adequate police protection in all the polling booths during the Yercaud bypoll with full live web-casting and video coverage recording of total proÂcess of polling, counting and the declaration of election results.
Justice K. K. SasidÂhaÂran reserved orders for Thursday on a petition filed by T.K.S. ElanÂgoÂvan, organising secretary of DMK, after hearing arguments from both sides. Senior counsel G. Rajagopalan, appÂeaÂring for ECI submitted that already the poll panel had provided adequate police protection by deploying CRPF and para military personnel in Yercaud.
Of the 290 polling boÂoths, in 272 booths live web casting have been provided and in the remÂaining 18 booths, video coverage will be done. The ECI was closely moÂnÂitoring the situation and would take appropriate remedial action as considered necessary for conducting a free, fair and transparent election, he added.
In his petition, ElanÂgovan had alleged that desÂpite the model code of conduct was in force, the ruling AIADMK party has been induÂlging in various malpractices in order to get electoral benefit. It was the duty of the Elecion Commission to see that proper law and order was maintained to enÂsure free and fair elections.
But, the ECI and electoral officers were deliberately failing to discharge their duties in conducting free and fair election.
Besides, thÂere were possibilities of coÂmÂmission of maÂlpÂracÂtices including booth capturing, intimidating the voters and threatening them with dire consequences by using all force including the government machinery in all possible manners. Hence, he filed the present petition, he added.
Next: Dismiss DMK’s plea: CEO
Dismiss DMK’s plea: CEO
Chennai: Stating that it is for the Election Commission of India (ECI) to decide as to who should be the district election officer, who is the district collector during an election period, the chief electoral officer (CEO) prayed the Madras high court to dismiss the petition filed by DMK candidate to transfer the Salem district collector.
Praveen Kumar, the CEO, stated this in his counter filed to the petition from DMK candidate V. Maran. Justice K. K. Sasidharan posted to December 3 further heÂaring of the case.
In his counter, Praveen Kumar said the petition was not maintainable in law in view of Article 329 (b) of the ConsÂtitÂution as, if any direction as prayed for by the petitioner was issued, would in law, amount to interfering with the electoral process. He made due enquiries with regard to the allegations made in the petition and found all the to be without any basis.
Wherever violation of model code of conduct was noticed, complaÂined, action had been taÂken irrespective of persons, place and position. “The ECI is closely monitoring the situation and would take appropriate remedial action as considered necessary for conducting a free, fair and transparent election,” he added.
He said while ministers can’t be prevented from campaigning in their private capacity without using official machinery and facilities available as minister, adequate monitoring of their activities was being done by putting video trail behind them to monitor their movement, as per instruction of ECI to check any misuse of official position.
On October 22, while two VAOs were on duty, they saw 10 cars with DMK party flag atop vehicles that went past them speedily. RegiÂstrÂation number of the vehÂicles could not be noticed but the FIR was lodged a little late.
There were no compulsions from any quarter including from any higher ups, he added. The collector has submitted that the allegations made in the petition were false and filed with an ulterior motive.
( Source : dc )
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