KMC elections: Ensure CCTV in every booth, High Court tells poll panel

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday directed the State Election Commission (SEC) that CCTV surveillance be maintained in every booth for the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) polls to be held on December 19.

The court also said electronic surveillance should be ensured in strong rooms where EVMs will be stored following the elections.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Justice R Bharadwaj directed installation of CCTV cameras and maintenance of surveillance in all polling booths during the 144-ward KMC elections.

The state election commission said such surveillance will be ensured in all the booths. "Though some ancillary issues have also been raised in the petition but when the matter is heard today, learned counsel for the petitioner has confined the prayer for installing the CCTV cameras in all the polling stations including the main booths as also the auxiliary booths and the strong room," said the Division Bench.

Based on the report of the District Magistrate of South 24-Parganas, who is the Returning Officer, it was decided to install CCTV in 25 per cent of the sensitive booths.

However, the state's Advocate General S. N. Mookherjee said there was no objection to the High Court's decision.

Meanwhile, BJP on Tuesday petitioned Calcutta High Court for deployment of central forces during the KMC election.

The matter will be heard on Wednesday.