Chennai: Pointing out that the phrase “Once bitten, twice shy” is squarely applicable to the Central Election Commission (CEC), the Madras high court on Monday expressed its hope that CEC will take effective steps with iron hand and prevent the illegalities of bribing voters by any person or persons or any political parties in order to ensure the conduct of election to RK Nagar Assembly constituency in a free and fair manner.
Justice K. Ravichandrabaabu disposed of the petition filed by Maruthu Ganesh, DMK candidate for RK Nagar by-election, which sought a direction to the Election Commission of India to deploy adequate number of CRPF personnel, to install CCTVs in all streets of the constituency, to telecast live webcasting of polling and counting, and to take measures to prevent illegal distribution of money and materials to voters.
Extracting the brief note submitted by ECI, the judge said upon hearing senior counsel P.Wilson, appearing for the petitioner and Additional solicitor general G.Rajagopal and by considering the brief note submitted by the ECI, it is seen that ECI is taking steps by deploying 15 companies of Central Armed Police Force and also seven senior observers, which according to the Commission is the highest in number in the country, in order to see that a free and fair election is conducted in the said Constituency. It is also seen from the notes that 225 IP CCTV/Surveillance cameras are deployed in major streets and junctions and that web casting has been ordered to be done in all 258 polling stations, the judge added.
The judge said senior counsel Wilson submitted that the brief note submitted by ECI may be recorded and ECI may further be directed to consider the request of the petitioner for deploying more number of CAPF and also for installation of more number of CCTV cameras at the appropriate places. “Certainly, the Central Election Commission will have to take the call and attend to the situation by taking appropriate steps to ensure that free and fair election will be conducted.
