Thursday, January 27 2005 16:22 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: Directing the authorities to take up effective steps for providing security to the candidates in naxal-hit areas in Bihar, Patna High Court today (Jan 27, 2005) directed the police superintendent of Gaya to execute a fresh warrant of arrest to be issued by the concerned court against RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) candidate and MLA Surendra Yadav and inform it by Tuesday (Feb 1, 2005).

A division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Nagendra Rai and Justice S N Hussain, while hearing PIL filed by the Indian Medical Association, said the court concerned in Gaya would issue a fresh warrant of arrest and the SP or any other senior official would be deputed for nabbing Yadav, as police failed to arrest him despite a non-bailable warrant when he turned up to file his nomination.

The court's order on Yadav came on an intervening petition of BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) nominee from Belaganj Mukesh Kumar who had pointed out that despite information available with the returning officer, the Gaya district administration had failed to arrest the RJD leader.

When the advocate for the petitioner M P Gupta informed the court about spurt in attacks on candidates in naxal-hit areas, the court directed the chief electoral officer K C Saha, IG (headquarters) Neelmani and DIG (headquarters) A K Verma, who were present in person, to take effective steps to provide security to the candidates during campaigning.

The court suggested that the candidates should inform the concerned sub-divisional police officers and sub-divisional officers about their campaign schedule on a day-to-day basis to enable the police to make arrangements for their security accordingly.

Besides, the court directed the authorities to step up patrolling in the naxal-hit areas.

The court had on January 24 ordered an inquiry by the district judge into the failure of police to arrest Surendra Yadav and asked him to submit his report in a day or two.

Taking exception to police not arresting the elusive RJD leader when he had turned up to file nomination, the court had last week sought an explanation from the Gaya SP Sanjay Singh.

The PIL by the IMA seeking court's intervention to check extortion and kidnapping for ransom of doctors had led to filing of a number of intervening petitions on which the court had issued an order disallowing the absconders and those whose property attachment orders were pending from contesting the polls.

The court had directed the police officers to be present at the time of nomination so that the absconders could be arrested when they turned up to file their papers.