Sunny Antony vs District Police Chief

N.Nagaresh, J

The petitioner, who is the Mandalam President of Congress Party of Kokkayar Region in Idukki and also a member of the 3rd respondent-Co-operative Bank, is before this Court seeking to direct respondents 1 and 2 to provide adequate police protection for the peaceful, free and smooth conduct of election of the Board Members in the 3rd respondent-Co-operative Bank and to continue the same till the counting is over.

The petitioner states that the elections to the posts of Board Members in the 3rd respondent-Co-operative Bank is scheduled to be held on 11.06.2023. As the elections are being contested on political lines, there is likelihood of law and order problem, and free and fair election will be possible only if respondents 1 and 2 extend adequate police protection.

Government Pleader entered appearance on behalf of respondents 1 and 2 and submitted that the election being to a Co-operative Society, in the ordinary course, the authorities will be deploying sufficient numbers of police personnel to ensure that the election is conducted in a peaceful manner.

I have heard Sri.Biju C. Abraham, the learned counsel for the petitioner, Sri.Rajeev Jyothish George, the learned Government Pleader representing respondents 1 and 2 and Sri.C.M. Nazar, the learned Standing Counsel representing respondents 3 and 4.

Since election to the 3rd respondent-Co-operative Bank is scheduled to be held on 11.06.2023 and going through the averments made in the writ petition, there is a likelihood of law and order issues, it will be in the interest of justice that respondents 1 and 2 extend adequate police protection for the smooth conduct of the election.

The writ petition is therefore disposed of directing respondents 1 and 2 to deploy adequate police personnel to maintain law and order during the election to the 3rd respondent-Co-operative Bank scheduled to be held on 11.06.2023. Such deployment of police shall continue during the counting of the votes also. The petitioner submits that unless the entire election process is videographed, the miscreants are likely to scuttle the election process. If the petitioner offers to pay expenses for videography, the 4th respondent shall arrange for videographing the election process.