ORDER :

M. Duraiswamy, J.

(Prayer: Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying for issuance of writ of mandamus to direct the respondents 2, 3 & 5 to adopt and implement the foolproof procedures/methods to ensure free and fair elections in all booths in Coimbatore District and also to adopt the measures as directed by this Court in the judgment reported in S.Saidai Sampath & Ors. Vs. The Chief Election Commissioner, TN State Election Commission & Ors. CDJ 2011 MHC 6874 and to provide extra police protection or Central Para Military Force in all the sensitive polling stations and install surveillance cameras in and around the polling stations, all sensitive areas and install web camera and video camera in the counting place to avert poll related violence namely booth capturing bogus voting etc, in order to ensure free and fair elections.

Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying for issuance of writ of mandamus (i) directing the respondents 2 & 3 to postpone the local body elections for Ward No.1, Vellore Corporation, Vellore District, Tamil Nadu scheduled to be held on 19.02.2022 (ii) directing the respondents 1 to 3 to hold and enquiry into allegations against the respondent no.4 and take appropriate action against the respondent no.4 including but not limited to disqualifying the respondent no.4 from contesting the aforesaid elections; or (iii) directing the respondents 1 to 3 to keep the declaration of results of the local body elections in Vellore District to be held on 19.02.2022 in abeyance till the completion of enquiry into the allegations against the respondent no.4.

Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying for issuance of writ of mandamus directing the respondents 1, 3 & 4 to (a) deploy para-military forces or other forces not under the control of State Government, (b) full and complete installation of CCTV cameras in roads leading to voting centres/booths and important areas (c) videotaping /recording and webcasting of voting process of all booths (d) appointment of independent election observers and maintaining of strong rooms where ballot boxes are stored.)

1. The above Writ Petitions are listed before this Bench after obtaining permission from the Hon'ble The Chief Justice.

2. W.P.No.3785 of 2022 has been filed by the petitioner, viz., G.Raghupathi, to issue a Writ of Mandamus directing the respondents 2, 3 & 5 to adopt and implement the foolproof procedures/methods to ensure free and fair elections in all booths in Coimbatore District and also to adopt the measures as directed by this Court in the judgment reported in S.Saidai Sampath & Ors. Vs. The Chief Election Commissioner, TN State Election Commission & Ors. CDJ 2011 MHC 6874 and to provide extra police protection or Central Para Military Force in all the sensitive polling stations and install surveillance cameras in and around the polling stations, all sensitive areas and install web camera and video camera in the counting place to avert poll related violence, namely, booth capturing, bogus voting, etc., in order to ensure free and fair elections.

3. W.P.No.3801 of 2022 has been filed by the petitioner, viz., T.Sivakumar, to issue a Writ of Mandamus for the following prayers:-

(i) directing the respondents 2 & 3 to postpone the local body elections for Ward No.1, Vellore Corporation, Vellore District, Tamil Nadu scheduled to be held on 19.02.2022;

(ii) directing the respondents 1 to 3 to hold and enquiry into the allegations against the respondent no.4 and take appropriate action against the respondent no.4, including but not limited to disqualifying the respondent no.4 from contesting the aforesaid elections; or

(iii) directing the respondents 1 to 3 to keep the declaration of results of the local body elections in Vellore District to be held on 19.02.2022 in abeyance till the completion of enquiry into the allegations against the respondent no.4.

4. The 2nd respondent, the Chief Ele