The police and the State Election Commission must do the needful to ensure that the impending local body polls are smoothly conducted in the State, while the State Police Chief (SPC) and the District Police Chiefs concerned must make arrangements for live webcasting and depute additional police personnel in hypersensitive and sensitive booths, the Kerala High Court ordered on Friday (December 5).
A Bench of Justice P.V. Kunjikrishnan issued the directive while considering petitions from different parts of the State, apprehending law and order problems on the polling days — December 9 and 11. They further alleged that there used to be booth-capturing and violence in some polling booths, including at many places in Kannur, and hence demanded webcasting or videography in such booths. They also sought the deployment of additional police personnel.
The court said that the petitioners could, if needed, file application for allowing videography, which has to be carried out at their expense. They can also seek police protection for candidates and their agents. On Kannur, the court said that the entire district must awaken this election and show that it is a place where free and fair poll is conducted to remove the bad label that the district has.
Earlier, the government pleader submitted that the SPC had made all arrangements to provide sufficient protection to all polling booths. In Kannur, 132 of the 1,304 booths have been identified as hypersensitive, where there will be live webcasting. The same pattern would be adopted in all hyper sensitive and sensitive booths in the State.
Published – December 05, 2025 10:17 pm IST
