Lucknow: Lucknow bench of Allahabad HC has taken serious note of the alleged looting of ballot boxes during Sultanpur District Bar Association elections and directed the district judge to identify the advocates involved on the basis of CCTV footage and submit a report before Oct 22, the next date of hearing.A bench of Justices Rajan Roy and Manjive Shukla passed the order on a public interest litigation filed by Shashi Mishra.The court observed that prima facie, the incident amounted not only to an offence but also to contempt of its order.The court also directed Sultanpur superintendent of police to monitor the investigation into the FIR registered at Kotwali police station and submit a progress report. It directed that the investigation be conducted independently and without influence from any quarter.The court was informed that Bar Association elections were held peacefully on Sept 9 in compliance with its earlier orders. Counting began the following day and was proceeding peacefully when, at around 3:30 pm, a mob of advocates present at the counting venue allegedly looted the ballot boxes, bringing the entire election process to a halt.The court was further informed that on the following day, the lock of the room where the ballot boxes had been kept was broken and the CCTV DVR and footage were tampered with. An FIR in connection with the incident was registered on Sept 14.HC directed the district judge to conduct an inquiry with the assistance of Elders Committee and other members of the Bar to identify those involved in the incident. The district judge has also been asked to examine CCTV footage installed in the district judgeship and submit a report naming the persons or advocates found responsible.The court clarified that the inquiry would relate to the conduct of advocates under the Advocates Act, 1961, the Contempt of Courts Act and Article 215 of the Constitution, while the FIR investigation would proceed separately under criminal law.The court directed that the disrupted elections be held afresh. The district judge and Elders Committee have been asked to finalise the mechanism and schedule for polling and counting within a week and notify Bar members. The district administration has been directed to provide necessary security arrangements.
