Orders more Central forces to Tripura: Supreme Court
The Supreme Court on Thursday, November 25, 2021, outlined its powers to intervene and ensure “fair and free elections”, even as it asked the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to provide secure voting to two companies of central paramilitary forces. have ordered. Polling for municipal elections is underway at booths in Tripura amid allegations of violence and intimidation.
The court ordered the Director General of Police and Home Secretary, Tripura to re-evaluate the situation and approach the Home Ministry for any further requirement of the central forces.
“The law is very well established. The court can intervene to ensure that the elections are fair and free,” observed Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, heading the three-judge bench.
“Today is polling day… what will be the effect of such complaint made today?” Justice Chandrachud, addressing Shri Jethmalani, stressed the need for passing directions immediately to secure the electoral process.
“The issue here is the conduct of fair elections,” Justice Surya Kant on the bench, which also includes Justice Vikram Nath, told Mr. Jethmalani.
The court said it cannot delay passing an appropriate order in view of the “urgency of the situation” in Tripura, without examining the merits of the allegations.
The hearing began with Trinamool’s senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan saying he had videos of goons entering polling booths and “pressing buttons” since polling began on Wednesday.
Mr. Jethmalani vehemently denied the allegations.
“Voting is going on absolutely peacefully. The only constraint is the petitioner and the intervenor,” he replied.
Sri Sankaranarayanan urged the court to allow them to show videos of intimidation incidents.
One of them shows an old woman being bullied by strangers at a booth, Sri Sankaranarayanan alleged. He said that one of his candidates was not even allowed to cast his vote.
Mr. Jethmalani asked Mr. Sankaranarayanan to share the candidate’s details and steps would be taken to facilitate them to cast their votes.
He said that the DGP and the Home Secretary after a meeting had requested and brought two companies of the Border Security Force for security of the elections. The State Government submitted that 458 Tripura State Rifles have been deployed for law and order duties.
Orders more Central forces to Tripura: Supreme Court
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