The State Election Commission (SEC) does not reserve the authority to initiate suo motu action against a local body member on the basis of allegation or complaint of bogus voting or impersonation. The case in question which demands a criminal action, will have to go through the set legal procedure starting from a magistrate court and culminating in the Supreme Court. Since law does not permit simultaneous civil and criminal action against an individual, the SEC had no room for intervention in the case, sources said. If a complaint comes up against the member in question in the court, the SEC would have to wait for the Supreme Court verdict. Web casting is introduced in sensitive booths for close monitoring and facilitating instant remedial action when the polling procedures are progressing.

Source: The Hindu April 30, 2019 14:26 UTC