Kerala: Ire over seizing vehicles for polls

KOZHIKODE: The practice of requisition of private vehicles for election duty has severely affected vehicles booked for occasions like weddings and trips outside the state. Vehicles required for election duty come around 600 but MVD officials have already seized more than the required.

Many owners have moved the court and election officers for releasing their vehicles, saying the practice to use private vehicles without the consent of owners is unethical. “My vehicle was taken into custody by MVD three days back while I was running for a marriage team in Kozhikode city,” said Rajagopal M.P., a tourist bus operator.

“The worst part is that I have already confirmed four orders this month alone and now since the vehicle is in custody, I am answerable to my clients. The election department will also take many months to settle their accounts,” he said.
“Their condition will be bad after running for them all these days. They don't pay for wear and tear.”

Talking about the legal side, Kozhikode RTO K. Premanandan said, “If an owner has genuine reasons for not being able to part with the vehicle, that would be honoured. However, the district election officer (DEO) who is issuing the requisition forms, cannot be physically present to serve all of them, so it has been given to police and MVD. On the road, when it is being requisitioned, it would be difficult to refuse."

‘We will first take government and then commercial vehicles. If we take only commercial and government vehicles, the entire public transport system will fall flat,” istrict election officer added.