1 BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED : 20.10.2011 CORAM THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE V.RAMASUBRAMANIAN W.P.(MD)Nos.12050 to 12057 of 2011 R.Srinivasan ...Petitioner in WP.No.12050 of 2011 M.Muniyandi ...Petitioner in WP.No.12051 of 2011 M.Kaleeswari ...Petitioner in WP.No.12052 of 2011 M.Vijaya ...Petitioner in WP.No.12053 of 2011 P.V.Suresh Pandi ...Petitioner in WP.No.12054 of 2011 N.Parthasarathi ...Petitioner in WP.No.12055 of 2011 S.Rajendran ...Petitioner in WP.No.12056 of 2011 K.Packialakshmi ...Petitioner in WP.No.12057 of 2011 vs. 1.The District Election Officer cum District Collector, Virudhunagar District, Virudhunagar. 2.The Superintendent of Police, Virudhunagar District, Virudhunagar. 3.The Election Returning Officer cum Block Development Officer, Sivakasi Panchayat Union, Virudhunagar District. ...Respondents in all the Wps. PRAYER: Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying for the issue of a Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents 1 to 3 herein to conduct the 5th Ward, 5th Ward Councilor Election counting in a free, fair and democratic manner and counting of votes on 21.10.2011 with police protection and recording the entire election process in video camera of 5th Ward Councilor, District Panchayt Union, Virudhunagar District, on the basis of the representation of the petitioner, dated 16.10.2011. WP.Nos.12051 to 12057 of 2011 : Petition filed under Article 226 of the constitution of India to issue a writ of mandamus directing the respondents 1 to 3 herein to conduct 16th, 12th, 29th, 30th, 7th, 31st, 17th respectively Ward Panchayat Union Councilor Election counting in a free, fair and democrtic manner and counting of votes on 21.10.2011 with police protection and recording the netire election process in video camera of 16th, 12th, 29th, 30th, 7th, 31st, 17th respectively Ward Panchayat Union Councilor, Sivakasi Union, Virudhunagar District on the basis of the representation of the petitioner dated 16.10.2011. For Petitioner : Mr.P.Subbaraj For 1st Respondent : Mr.K.Mahendran, Special Government Pleader. For Respondents 2&3 : Mr.B.Pugalenthi, Special Government Pleader. https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ 2 C O M M O N O R D E R The petitioners have come with these writ petitions seeking various directions to the respondents. 2.Heard Mr.P.Subbaraj, learned counsel for the petitioners. Mr.K.Mahendran, learned Special Government Pleader takes notice for the Election Commission and Mr.B.Pugalendhi, learned Special Government Pleader takes notice for the State. 3.On 14.10.2011, the Tamil Nadu State Election Commission has issued a notification in pursuance of the directions issued by the First Bench of this Court. The operative portion of the said notification reads as follows:- "Now, therefore the Tamil Nadu State Election Commission hereby indicates that the list of sensitive booths as reported by the District Election Officers/District Collectors in the Table annexed. It is directed that the videographing of the polling shall be compulsorily done in the said polling booths. Further, it is also directed to webcast the polling process, if found feasible. The District Election Officers/District Collectors are hereby empowered to add any number of polling stations under sensitive category duly considering the ground realities." 4.In view of the notification dated 14.10.2011 extracted above, the District Election Officers, who are respondents in these writ petitions, shall examine the matter in the light of the notification and if found necessary, take steps as indicated in the notification. 5.The writ petitions are allowed on the above terms. No costs. Sd/- Assistant Registrar(RTI) /True copy/ Sub Assistant Registrar(CS) To 1.The District Election Officer cum District Collector, Virudhunagar District, Virudhunagar. 2.The Superintendent of Police, Virudhunagar District, Virudhunagar. 3.The Election Returning Officer cum Block Development Officer, Sivakasi Panchayat Union, Virudhunagar District. +1 cc to P.Subbaraj, Advocate, SR.No.36310 +1 CC to the Special Government Pleader, SR.No.36471 sms W.P.(MD)Nos.12050 to 12057 of 2011 20.10.2011 TR : 20.10.2011 : 2p/6c : IT https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/