HC directs TS CEO to ensure no distribution of liquor during polls

The State High Court Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Jukanti Anil Kumar on Monday directed the Chief Electoral Officer, Telangana to ensure that there is no distribution of liquor during the ensuing Parliamentary Elections in the Telangana State.

Liquor plays a crucial role in influencing the voters while exercising their adult franchise. The Court made it clear that it cannot issue directions to the Election Commission of India to transfer the Excise Department Officials to other places of work, from the existing place of work.

The Division Bench pronounced orders in the PIL (at scrutiny stage) filed by Mr Bondili Nagadhar Singh, a retired Govt., employee, aggrieved by the action of the ECI in exempting the Excise Department officials from being transferred out to some other place, other than the place, they are working.

The petitioner contended that the Excise department officials are well conversant with the voters of that particular constituency and there is an impending need to transfer these officials to some other place of work contrary to the contention of the ECI, which informed the court that the officials of various departments are segregated into two segments viz., core and non-core duties and the contribution of the officials of Excise department is also pivotal during the elections.

Mr. Venkanna, counsel for the petitioner contended that the Excise Department officials were not transferred from their existing place of work on par with the officials of the Police Department, Revenue and other department officials to some other place of work as per the guidelines of the ECI in view of the ensuing Lok Sabha Elections.

The Court while disposing of the PIL filed by the petitioner said that it is the decision of the ECI in transferring the officials of various departments during elections and the Courts cannot interfere in such issues.