A single judge bench of the High Court consisting of Justice Cheekati Manavendranath Roy directed the Gurazala urban police Station House Officer (SHO) to provide adequate protection to four persons who wished to contest in the upcoming election for the Gurazala Nagar Panchayat to enable them to file nomination papers upon the submission of written representations by them to the SHO in person and through an e-mail to the State Election Commission.
The judge ordered that the petitioners K. Venkatesh, K. Gnanamma, S.S. Nazimun and Shaik Hameed should give details of the persons who allegedly threatened them to prevent them from filing nominations, to facilitate necessary action.
Justice Manavendranath Roy said in his order that the four persons sought to contest the election but some people had been threatening them with dire consequences if they filed nominations and even attempting to prevent them from doing so. The police should, therefore, give them protection to ensure that the election is conducted fairly and in a transparent manner, he ordered.
According to N. Srinivasa Rao, advocate for the petitioners, a representation was given to the SHO on their intimidation by rivals and it was mailed to the SEC on Wednesday and arrangements were made to file nominations on November 4.
