Hyderabad: Stating that the Election Commission is supreme in the matter of conducting elections, the Hyderabad High Court on Thursday directed the police and executive to follow its command and those of the Chief Electoral Officer to ensure that no untoward incidents occurred on election day.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Thottathil B. Radhakrishnan and Justice S.V. Bhatt was dealing petitions of candidates from Nampally, Mr Feroz Khan (Congress) and Mr Muzaffer Ullah Khan seeking a direction to the EC to install CCTV cameras, deploy Central security forces which should include women police to remove the burqa to check for impersonation of voters.
The bench directed the EC to ensure polling be in strict conformity with the law , by using entire police force and the state executive. It directed the police and executive to obey the require directions of the EC and CEO. The court warned officers involved in the election process that they should not be subject to any influences, must not take partisan and political colour and directed the machinery to maintain complete insulation from being criticised as getting involved in activities not expected from such forces.
The bench directed the EC and CEO to submit the list of officers who are found to be indulged in breach of law and Model Code of Conduct before it.
Stating that the police had imposed prohibitory orders in certain areas, the bench said that the power of police includes power of preventing commission of cognizable offence.
The bench directed the EC and CEO to submit the report on conduct of elections including eight Assembly constituencies of Hyderabad, which were mentioned by petitioners as critical by 10.15 am on December 10.
