Videography during election without causing any manner of disturbance to the voters shall be permitted: Kerala High Court
During the process of election, videography shall be permitted, without causing any manner of disturbance to the voters and officials or in any manner interfering with the balloting done in the polling booths. This was decided in the case of Ajitha K. vs The Returning Officer & Ors [W.P.(C) No.3025 OF 2021(C)] and the judgement was given by Hon’ble Mr. Justice Anil K. Narendran.
The petition was filed by the President of the managing committee of Pattanur Village Vanitha Co-operative Society Ltd., has filed this writ petition under Article 226 of the Consitution of India, seeking a writ of mandamus commanding the 1st respondent to verify the validity of the identity card of each voter with the Form 6B register maintained in the Society, in the presence of the 4 th respondent Secretary in the election to the managing committee of the Pattanur Village Vanitha Co-operative Society Ltd.
The petitioner has also sought for a writ of mandamus commanding the respondents to take all necessary steps for conducting fair and transparent election to the new managing committee of Pattanur Village Vanitha Co-operative Society.
It would be submitted by the learned Senior Counsel for the State Cooperative Election Commission that the 1st respondent, Returning Officer shall take necessary steps to ensure free and fair election to the managing committee of the Society in question. Videography of the process of the election can be arranged at the request of the petitioner, on condition that the entire expense has to be met by the petitioner herself.
It was stated in the judgement that, “If the petitioner makes a written request before the 1st respondent Returning Officer to videograph the process of election, at her own expenses, the said request shall be favourably considered by the said respondent. Such videography shall be permitted without causing any manner of disturbance to the voters and officials or in any manner interfering with the balloting done in the polling booths.”
The writ petition was disposed off by directing the respondents to ensure smooth conduct of election to the managing committee of Pattanur Village Vanitha Co-operative Society Ltd.,. The first respondent, The Returning Officer shall ensure that there is no bogus voting or impersonation of voters, by having the identity of the voters verified with reference to the relevant records maintained in the Society.