Dakshina Kannada ready for counting day, tight security in place: DK DC
Mangaluru: Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner, Mullai Muhilan announced the completion of preparations for the counting of votes schedule on June 4. He was addressing the media at the Mangaluru Press Club on Friday.
Providing details about the tight security measures deployed at the counting center in NITK, Surathkal, Muhilan said that the strong room where the EVMs are stored will be opened between 6:00 AM and 7:00 AM, and will be under strict CCTV surveillance. In addition, the officials from the Election Commission can access the strong room only with an official ID card and by undergoing a three-phase security check.
He revealed that the counting of postal votes will begin at 8:00 AM, while the counting of EVM votes will begin at 8:30 AM.
A 100-meter radius around the center has been declared a pedestrian zone, and no vehicles will be allowed inside this area. There will be CCTV surveillance both around and inside the counting center. A steel frame mesh has been installed between the staff and agents at each counting desk to ensure the counting process is conducted peacefully and safely. Election agents must enter the counting center between 6:00 AM and 7:00 AM; late entry will not be permitted.
A total of 14,09,653 votes were cast in EVMs in the district and 8,537 votes were cast through ballot papers, including home voting, service voters, and those on emergency service. A total of 536 ballot papers were sent to service voters, and so far, 231 ballot papers have been received. Ballot papers from service voters received up to one hour before the counting of votes will be accepted, said the Commissioner.
He further stated that the counting of votes by EVMs will be conducted in eight rooms with 14 tables each, totaling 112 tables for each assembly constituency. A separate room with 20 tables has been arranged for the counting of postal ballots. Apart from the Returning Officer, 8 Assistant Returning Officers have been appointed for EVM vote counting. The Commissioner explained that a total of 554 staff members will work in the counting center, including those handling EVM and postal ballots.
The Collector said that mobiles, iPads, calculators, scissors, knives, lighters, firecrackers, electronic items, weapons, and explosives are prohibited inside the counting station. "Candidates or agents are allowed to carry only a pen, sheet notepad, and Form 17C," he added.
"The security at NITK, Surathkal will operate in three shifts. Civil Police and State Reserve Police Force will provide security at three levels in each shift," said Commissioner of Police Anupam Agrawal speaking at the press conference. He further said that a total of 850 police personnel, including DCPs and ACPs, will be on duty on the counting day.
On the day of the election result, a ban has been issued on victory celebrations, including the bursting of explosives and firecrackers, from 5:00 AM to midnight on June 4 across the Dakshina Kannada district, stated DC Mullai Muhilan.
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Court can reject anticipatory bail but cannot direct accused to surrender: SC
New Delhi (PTI): A court can reject anticipatory bail of an accused but it has no jurisdiction to direct him to surrender before the trial court, the Supreme Court has said.
A bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and Ujjal Bhuyan made the observation while hearing a plea filed by a man accused of cheating and forgery.
"If the court wants to reject the anticipatory bail, it may do so, but the court has no jurisdiction to say that the petitioner should now surrender," the bench said.
The Jharkhand High Court had rejected anticipatory bail plea of the accused and asked him to surrender and seek regular bail.
In this case, a complaint had been filed before a magistrate alleging offences under Sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 420 (cheating), 467 (forgery of valuable security), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 471 (using forged document) and 120B read with 34 of the IPC, in connection with a land dispute.
The high court had dismissed the second anticipatory bail application of the accused on the ground that no new circumstances were shown.
It had relied on its earlier order rejecting his first anticipatory bail plea, in which the court directed the petitioner to surrender before the trial court and seek regular bail in terms of the decision in Satender Kumar Antil v. CBI.
The top court said such a direction was wholly without jurisdiction and said that if a court chooses to reject anticipatory bail, it may do so, but it cannot compel the accused to surrender.
