Calcutta High Court on Tuesday expressed its “hope and trust” that the State Election Commission would keep its words and install CCTV cameras at 4,842 booths and 365 auxiliary booths when Calcutta Municipal Corporation polls would be held on December 19.

The observation by a division bench comprising Chief Justice Prakash Srivastava and Justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj followed a petition seeking an order to direct the SEC to install CCTV cameras at each and every polling booth for the CMC polls.

The SEC’s counsel informed the court that the commission had arranged for CCTVs at 25 of the total 4,842 polling booths that had been identified as “sensitive”.

“But if the court issues an order, my client (SEC) is ready to introduce CCTV in all the booths including 365 auxiliary booths,” the SEC counsel said. The lawyer also said that CCTVs would also be installed in strong rooms.

Then, the division bench said it hoped that the SEC would keep its words and install CCTV cameras at all booths.

Central force demand

A day after the Supreme Court asked the petitioner to move Calcutta High Court with their demand for central forces in Calcutta civic polls, the state BJP on Tuesday moved a petition in the high court seeking an order for deployment of central forces during the CMC polls on December 19.

The judge partly heard the case and fixed Wednesday as the next day of hearing.

Appearing for the BJP, advocate S.K. Kapoor said the party apprehended trouble in the ensuing poll and had approached the SEC to deploy central forces on December 19. The advocate also told the court that the ruling party was issuing threats to party candidates and police refused to entertain complaints.

The advocate general opposed the prayer and said between December 1 and December 13 not a single complaint had been lodged with any police station.

BSF case

The division bench of Chief Justice Prakash Srivastava and Justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj on Tuesday directed the central government to file an affidavit by December 22 stating what prompted it to expand the jurisdiction of power of the BSF in bordering areas of Bengal and other states.

The order followed a petition by the state to challenge the central government’s decision to expand the jurisdiction of power of the BSF from 15km to 50km in border areas.

Appearing for the state, advocate general S.N. Mukherjee told the court that the Centre had taken the decision without consulting the state. The case will come up for hearing on December 22.