HC to hear petitions against LDF siege tomorrow

As the CPI(M)-led LDF began its indefinite siege to the state Secretariat from today over solar scam, the Kerala High Court asked the government to explain the arrangements made to face the situation.
A division bench comprising Chief justice Manjula Chellur and Justice K Vinod Chandran made the query when a petition seeking a direction to the state government and police to keep open all the gates of Secretariat to enable officials and public to freely enter on the working days.
When the petition by the Congress-affiliated Kerala Secretariat Association came up before them, they asked the government to explain the arrangements taken to tackle the situation and adjourned it to tomorrow as a similar petition is posted for consideration before the same bench.

CPI(M) state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan and Left Democratic Front (LDF) convenor Vaikom Vishwam are the respondents in the petition.
The petitioner complained that volunteers are blocking entry to the secretariat and police was not taking action.
The petition earlier came up before another bench comprising Justices S Sirijagan and K Ramakrsihnan.

When the court said the entire police force and contingent of para-military was there to face the situation, the petitioner said CRPF was not being given an opportunity to interfere in the situation.
However, as a PIL is pending before the bench headed by Chief Justice, the bench posted the petition before them.

The PIL was filed by Kerala Peoples Forum last week, seeking to declare the strike as illegal and also seeking Paramilitary force assistance.