IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT : THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE ANTONY DOMINIC WEDNESDAY, THE 22ND JULY 2009 / 31ST ASHADHA 1931 WP(C).No. 20414 of 2009(V) -------------------------- PETITIONER(S): --------------- A.A.JOHNSON, KAIMANATH HOUSE, THUNDATHUMKADAVU, VARAPPUZHA P.O., MEMBER NO.8600, VARAPPUZHA SERVICE CO-OP. BANK LTD. NO.1582, VARAPPUZHA, ERNAKULAM-DISTRICT. BY ADV. SRI.GEORGE POONTHOTTAM RESPONDENT(S): --------------- 1. STATE CO-OP. ELECTION COMMISSION, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, REP. BY THE SECRETARY. 2. THE RETURNING OFFICER, VARAPPUZHA SERVICE CO-OP. BANK LTD. NO.1582, VARAPPUZHA, ERNAKULAM-DISTRICT. MR.K.C.SANTHOSHKUMAR, GOVERNMENT PLEADER THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 22/07/2009, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: ANTONY DOMINIC, J. ------------------------- W.P.(C.) No.20414 of 2009 --------------------------------- Dated, this the 22nd day of July, 2009 J U D G M E N T The petitioner is a member of the Varappuzha Service Co- operative Bank Ltd., the election of which is scheduled to take place on 26/07/2009, and the 2nd respondent is the Returning Officer. The petitioner apprehends trouble during voting, and in the writ petition, the prayer sought is that he should be permitted to videograph the polling scheduled on 26/07/2009 at Chiraykkakam Government UP School. 2. In view of the apprehension expressed by the petitioner, there is nothing wrong in permitting the petitioner to videograph the events of the venue of voting at the cost of the petitioner himself, and that too under the orders of the 2nd respondent, the Returning Officer. 3. However, the learned Government Pleader contended that unlike in Ext.P4 judgment where similar directions were issued, this Court should not pass orders permitting the petitioner to obtain WP(C) No.20414/2009 -2- copy of videotape/CDs. In my view, if a copy of the videotape/CD is obtained by the petitioner, there cannot be any prejudice to the respondents. 4. Therefore, the writ petition is disposed of directing that the petitioner should be permitted to videograph the events of the venue of the voting, at his expenses, and subject to the directions of the 2nd respondent. It is further directed that the originals of the video tape or CDs will be retained by the Returning Officer and it will be open to the petitioner to obtain a copy of the same. The writ petition is disposed of as above. (ANTONY DOMINIC, JUDGE) jg