Chennai: In order to ensure violence free election to the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry and to ensure that persons with criminal background are not contesting the election, the Madras high court has issued six directions to the DGP.
A division bench comprising Justices N. Kirubakaran and R. Tharani gave the directions while quashing the order of the Bar Council of India, deferring its decision on granting approval to the new rules framed by the Special Committee, BCTP and directing the BCI to consider the same and take a decision in its meeting to be held on February 18.
1. The bench directed the DGP to verify and give a report regarding antecedents of the contestants whose names have been forwarded by the BCTP on or before February 26.
2. Give appropriate police protection by armed reserve polic” right from dispatch of the ballot papers from Chennai to all the 169 polling booths except the high court campus in Chennai and Madurai during the course of voting in the polling booths, bringing back the ballot boxes to Chennai and during counting of votes, till the elections are declared, the bench added.
3. The bench directed the DGP to remove such persons from the campus, if anybody creates ruckus inside or outside the polling booths
4. If the situation requires to arrest them, on instructions from the observers to be appointed by the returning officer and the special committee members.
5. Prevent violence, malpractices, distribution of money to the voters and to arrest those distributing money and liquor bottles and give protection to the income tax officials in this regard, the bench added.
6. The bench directed the DGP to ensure that after the election are over, all other persons, except a representative of the candidates leave the campus.
