New-found role of CCTV cameras this election season

CCTV cameras have an established set of purposes—from uncovering criminal activities and traffic violations to illegal waste dumping. But they seem to be providing an additional service during the ongoing election season. In the Girinagar division of the Kochi Corporation, CCTV images have emerged of a few people unmounting a flex board of United Democratic Front candidate P.D. Martin, taking it away on an autorickshaw, and then replacing it with the flex board of Malini Kurup, who, incidentally, was the Congress’ sitting councillor and is now contesting as an Independent after rebelling against the party’s denial of seat to her. Mr. Martin has dubbed the action as an alleged attempt to trigger political violence in an otherwise peaceful division, whereas Ms. Kurup has claimed she has no clue about the incident. On her part, she complained that her posters have been found torn at various places.