HC dismisses DMK’s plea for webcasting of booths in Yercaud

Chennai: Pointing out that the Ele­ction Commission has tak­en various steps to conduct the Yercaud bypoll in a free, fair and transparent manner, the Madras high court has disposed of a petition from the DMK to direct the ECI to provide police protection with live web camera in all the polling booths.

Disposing of the petition filed by T.K.S. Elangovan, DMK organising secretary, Justice K.K. Sasidharan said, “In view of the submissions made on behalf of the ECI, and the various steps taken to conduct election in a fair and transparent manner and in a conducive atmosphere, situation has not arisen to issue a writ of mandamus to direct the ECI to act in a particular manner. Since the constitutional body is monitoring the entire election process by discharging the constitutional duty and respecting mandate of Art­icle 324 of the Constitution, the request made by the petitioner to monitor the poll process is rejected.”

The petitioner has no case that EC has shown undue favour to a party, he said.