The Kerala High Court on Friday said the administration should adopt zero tolerance to election malpractices and violence, and ensure that no one was deprived of the right to exercise his/her franchise.
Passing the order on a batch of petitions raising apprehensions of threats and violence by rival party workers on the days leading to the election, Justice V. Raja Vijayaraghavan directed that even in polling stations which were not categorised as sensitive ones, enough police personnel should be posted to rule out any incidents of violence or election malpractice.
Most of the petitioners, who were from Kannur, complained that they were facing grave threats to life and feared that they would not be permitted to canvas votes. They feared that there would be bogus voting and violence on polling day and there existed the possibility of their booth agents and voters being threatened and obstructed.
The State Election Commission (SEC) submitted that all steps for the conduct of free and fair election were undertaken. Meetings were held with the Chief Secretary, State Police Chief, District Collectors and other senior officers on security arrangements.
Sufficient police forces would be deployed in sensitive areas to meet law and order problems. Special attention would be taken by the police in sensitive areas to provide adequate security measures to the electorate and the polling officials, it was submitted.
Instructions were issued to the police to take stringent action to prevent bogus voting, impersonation, booth capturing and other electoral offences. The police have also been instructed to provide adequate protection to voters, polling agents and candidates, the commission submitted.
The court disposed of the petition considering the submissions of the commission and government pleaders.
