Kerala polls: HC disposes pleas for police protection filed by G Sudhakaran, T K Govindan and others

Kochi: High court has disposed of a batch of petitions filed by former minister G Sudhakaran, T K Govindan and others, seeking police protection to ensure free and fair elections, based on the Election Commission's (EC) assurance that all necessary steps have been taken to prevent any form of violence or interference with the conduct of elections.Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas, while disposing of the petitions, observed that the entire superintendence, control and conduct of elections are vested in EC, and that the deployment of police or Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) is entirely within its prerogative. G Sudhakaran, a former CPM leader contesting as a UDF-supported independent candidate in Ambalappuzha, had approached HC seeking adequate police protection for all 195 polling booths in the constituency. He alleged that he started receiving threats from several people soon after declaring his candidature.Govindan, who was recently expelled from CPM and is contesting as an independent with UDF support in Taliparamba, also approached HC seeking police protection to ensure free and fair polling, as well as protection for his life and property.Similar petitions were also filed by UDF's Trikaripur candidate Sandeep G Warrier; UDF-supported independent candidate V Kunhikrishnan, contesting from Payyannur; and K M Raghunath, a UDF polling agent in Nadapuram constituency.In response to the petitions, EC assured the court that free and fair elections would be conducted to the extent possible through the deployment of adequate armed forces, installation of web cameras in all polling booths and deployment of sufficient police personnel in areas where specific threats had been reported.HC also noted that the allegations raised by the petitioners were largely general in nature and that no specific instances of threat had been substantiated. It further observed that no specific directions were required, other than to reiterate that EC shall monitor the situation and take appropriate steps.