HC orders police security for Thillankery special poll

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday directed the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Northern Range, and Superintendent of Police, Kannur, to provide adequate police security for the smooth conduct of the special election to the Thillankeri division of the Kannnur District Panchayat scheduled for January 21.

Justice Anil K. Narendran also directed the police to extend the protection to the officials of the State Election Commission, the returning officer, the polling agents and voters before, during, and after the election.

The court passed the directives on a petition filed by Rojas Sebastian, an election agent of the UDF candidate, Lynda James. According to him, the wards in the division were known for political violence, booth capturing and impersonation. Most of the accused and convicts in various political murder cases were living in these areas. The court also directed the State Election Commission to deploy accredited videographers inside and outside in all the 64 polling booths without compromising on the secrecy of voting.

The court directed the police to take necessary steps to ensure that there was no threat to the law and order in the locality in connection with the election. The court ordered the State Election Commission and the police to ensure that only voters with valid identity card were permitted to enter the polling booths and that there were no bogus voting, impersonation, booth capturing, or other electoral offences.