KMC elections: Ensure CCTV surveillance in every booth, Cal HC to poll panel

Kolkata, Dec 14: The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday ordered the West Bengal State Election Commission to install CCTV in every booth in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC). The polls will be held on December 19.

Apart from ensuring electronic surveillance at the polling booths, the court asked to install cameras in strong rooms where EVMs will be stored following the elections.

The court also said electronic surveillance should be ensured in strong rooms where EVMs will be stored following the elections. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Justice R Bharadwaj directed installation of CCTV cameras and maintenance of surveillance in all polling booths during the 144-ward KMC elections.

The state election commission said such surveillance will be ensured in all the booths. A petition was moved by a BJP worker before the high court on Tuesday, seeking installation of CCTV cameras in every booth for the December 19 polls.

Meanwhile, Kajari Banerjee, the sister-in-law of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, is contesting the local elections from ward number 73 of the KMC. The wife of the chief minister's brother Kartik doesn't consider herself a political greenhorn though she has entered the electoral fray for the first time.

Kajari, who had been a prominent face on the side of Mamata Banerjee for years, said, "I have been associated with the party since 1993, for 28 years, and a resident of the Kalighat locality. I am not a political greenhorn. I had been on the side of the people for 365 days a year." Kajari said she has been getting 100 per cent support from everyone in the party, including former councillor of the ward, Ratan Malakar, who had initially filed nomination paper as an independent candidate.

With inputs from PTI