KOCHI: The High Court directed the Election Commission to strictly implement the decision to deploy the Central Armed Forces at the Idukki district boundary to prevent people from Tamil Nadu from crossing the borders for fraudulent voting. The court made the direction after considering the petition filed by UDF candidates from Udumbanchola, Devikulam and Peermade. The candidates had demanded that the central forces should be deployed to prevent outsiders from crossing the border for fraudulent voting.

The petition alleged that in the past, large-scale fraudulent voting had taken place across the border and that even if the police closed the border, fraudulent voters would find ways to cross the border.

The single bench, which examined the documents, held that the Election Commission had taken steps to avoid the situation. The District Electoral Officer has written to the Election Commission saying that steps have been taken to deploy the Central Armed Forces at the borders and check posts to monitor the polling day and the day before.

The district superintendent of police in a letter to the collector on April 2 said that the central forces would be deployed at four stations and check posts along the border. The High Court held that it was clear from these that possible steps had been taken to prevent fraudulent voting across the border.