HC rejects plea seeking deployment of rural govt employees for ULB poll works

 As the Madras High Court denied to entertain and warned of dismissing a petition with costs for seeking a direction to engage government employees from the rural parts of the State for the upcoming urban local body polls, AIADMK’s legal wing joint secretary RM Babu Murugavel who filed the petition informed the High Court that he is withdrawing it.

The first bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice PD Audikesavalu had dismissed the plea as withdrawn by Babu Murugavel.

“The court could not run the State Election Commission. The HC cannot direct the SEC that whom should be engaged for the election works as well as the petitioner cannot command the commission for the same purpose,” the ACJ observed.

The bench further made an oral observation questioning the litigant how could he file this petition with this plea. “Since the courts could not direct the Election Commission of India during State Assembly elections and Lok Sabha polls, the same is also applicable for the local body elections,” the HC noted.

The petitioner claimed that if the SEC engages officials from the same area for the ULB polls, there will be a threat to free and fair elections.

“Engaging government officers from rural areas in this upcoming urban body election would not only prevent the confusion in postal ballots but will also pave way for the government personnel who are in that particular jurisdiction to exercise their right of voting in a free and fair manner,” the petitioner added.