Deploy Para-military forces if police fails: HC

Kochi, Feb 6 (UNI) The Kerala High Court today said the services of the para-military forces could be sought for smooth conduct of the Pathanamthitta Municipal Council (PMC) meetings if the state police failed to maintain the law and order situation.

A Divsion Bench comprising Mr Justice J B Koshy and Mr Justice T R Ramachandran Nair made this observation on a petition filed by Mohan Raj and 11 other councillors of the Pathanamthitta Municipality seeking police protection for conducting the council meetings after the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) was unseated through a non-confidence motion by the United Democratic Front (UDF).

The Bench observed that police should not keep the councillors in custody or detain them by any means in the next council meeting scheduled to be held on February 22.

The court also said police should see that all the councilors freely attended the meeting and if the police was unable to maintain law and order, they should call the para-military forces so that the council meeting was held peacefully and councillors participate in it without fear.

UNI