Kerala - Pathanamthitta   

Safeguarding democracy takes a heavy toll on the State exchequer

Radhakrishnan Kuttoor

Huge sum was spent for elections of municipal office-bearers

PATHANAMTHITTA: The heavy posse of police personnel deployed for the election to the post of the Pathanamthitta municipal chairman and vice-chairman on Thursday sent out an ominous message — that protecting democracy from its guardians (elected representatives) proves costly.

The Government spent a huge amount of money and manpower for the elections in view of the untoward incidents at the council meet held on January 10 to discuss a no-confidence motion moved against the then municipal chairperson. Even the High Court had to intervene to ensure smooth conduct of the subsequent two council meetings held in the next one month to discuss the no-trust motion and elect the new office-bearers.

Politic of opportunism seemd to rule the roost, as several members shifted their loyalty from one political coalition to the other, literally leading to an administrative stalemate in the civic body during the last two months.

The Left Democratic Front (LDF) accused the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) of resorting to horse-trading to topple the then chairperson and vice-chairman who belonged to the CPI(M). Clarifying their stand on the no-trust motion moved against the LDF-controlled civic body, the Congress and the UDF stated that it was purely based on the "resentment against the ruling coalition and its anti-people policies."

However, the common man seemed least interested in the charges and counter-charges raised by the rival fronts. They were more concerned about the curtailment of their free movement in the town owing to clashes between the rival fronts.

The otherwise peaceful hill district headquarters witnessed an uneasy calm, with as many as 650 armed police taking positions at vantage points in the town on Thursday.

To make things worse, the district authority clamped round-the-clock prohibitory orders in the municipal limits on Thursday.

The posse of police force deployed in the town comprised four companies of the Kerala Armed Police, besides the local police constables led by 11 Dy. SPs, 17 Circle Inspectors and 40 Sub-Inspectors.

The municipal market in the town remained close and public entry to Azhoor Road was restricted from Thursday morning. Additional police force and a water canon were brought from Thiruvananthapuram. Inspector-General of Police Arun Kumar Sinha, assisted by the District Superintendent of Police and two Assistant Superintendents of Police, directly monitored the arrangements. Presspersons were given special entry pass by the Election authorities.

Deputy Superintendent of Police M.N. Jayaprakash said the police were providing security cover to three council members who had allegedly shifted their political loyalty from one camp to another. All the UDF members were given security cover and they were brought to the municipal office in a police van for the discussion on the no-confidence motion held on February 1 and the elections held, later on February 22.

To the common man, it is an irony that a new chairman was elected in the forenoon only to step down, later, in the afternoon, literally making a mockery of the whole democratic process and the hectic preparations being made by the official machinery.

The local people are now worried that the entire proceedings would be repeated for electing another civic body chief soon.

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