SEC told to install CCTVs, live record urban civic polls

The first bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice PD Audikesavalu passed the injunction on disposing of petition preferred by the AIADMK and former minister D Jayakumar. The petitioner prayed for a direction to the SEC to ensure free and fair urban local body elections.

On Monday, the judges questioned the petitioner how they allege that the local body elections would not be conducted fairly. Former advocate general and senior counsel Vijay Narayan, who appeared for the AIADMK, submitted that even as there are several directions were passed by the HC to the SEC to install CCTV facilities in the polling and strong rooms for the rural local body elections, we have witnessed many irregularities.

“Several pages of the nomination papers filed by the AIADMK candidates were torn by certain people and the nomination was rejected by the officers. Therefore, we want to count the number of papers attached with the nomination affidavit and an acknowledgement should be given to the candidate,” Narayan submitted.

Siva Shanmugam, the standing counsel for the SEC countered such arguments that there is no provision to give acknowledgements for candidates about the number of papers filed at the time of nomination.

He further informed the HC that a direction has been passed to install CCTV facilities and live record all the proceedings starting from the filing of nominations and till the counting of votes.

On recording the assurance given by the SEC’s counsel, the judges disposed of the matter with a direction that the SEC should ensure arranging the CCTV and live recording facilities in the urban civic poll processes.