Madras High Court today directed election authorities to take a decision within 24 hours on a representation which sought deployment of additional forces in 51 sensitive polling booths in Mudhukulathur in Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu for the May 16 Assembly elections.

A vacation bench comprising Justice N Kirubakaran and Justice M V Muralidaran passed the order on a PIL by a Congress functionary that sought deployment of additional security forces and micro observers, alleging that ruling AIADMK was planning to capture these booths.

"Taking into consideration the representation made by the petitioner, it is appropriate to direct the District Collector, who is also the Election Officer, to pass orders within 24 hours based on its merit," the bench said.

Petitioner K Anbuchezhiyan, President of the legal wing of Congress, alleged AIADMK was planning to capture the 51 'most sensitive booths' in Mudhukulathur.

Though he had sent a representation to the district collector on May 3, there had been no response so far.