KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Friday sought the views of the state government and State Election Commission on a petition filed by two UDF candidates in Vengad grama panchayat in Kannur seeking a directive to deploy sufficient security forces including CRPF personnel and install web cameras in the polling booths in wards 3 and 4 of the panchayat. Petitioners Jasleena Teacher and Hussain Vengad said the situation in Kannur district is very tense. CPM workers had threatened the voters in polling booths and captured booths in many elections in the past, submitted the candidates.
The court posted the case on November 30. In her petition, Jasleena Teacher sought deployment of sufficient police force including CRPF personnel and installation of web cameras in the polling booths in E K Nayanar Memorial HSSs in North and West Vengad. Hussain Vengad sought protection for voters in the booths at Vengad Theru LP School.
The elections in Kannur are scheduled for December 14. The booths located in these two wards are sensitive. In fact, booth capturing and threatening incidents were reported in these booths in the last panchayat elections, they said. These were done by CPM workers. The miscreants usually hid in the place and came out on the polling day to capture booths and threaten the voters.
The police were hand in glove with the CPM workers. The UDF workers were in constant fear of attacks by the CPM workers, they said. In the last elections, the High Court had ordered videography of the election process in the polling booths of ward 4.According to the petitioners, the state is duty bound to protect the lives and properties of all citizens. Due to the threat, the voters are afraid to go to the polling booths to cast their votes.