Poll code rings in cock fights in Kerala

 About 1.5 lakh hens had attained `maturity’ and were awaiting distribution to farmers from the corporation’s integrated farms when the elections were announced on March 1.

If the corporation had to honour the model poll code, the hens which were to be supplied free to farmers under various  schemes would have had to cool their heels at the farms. However, therein lies the problem. “Since the farms can barely accommodate 1.5 lakh birds, there is now hardly any  space for the fresh chicks. The result is that there is pecking and pitched fights between the birds these days and many have perished,’’ said corporation MD Sunil Kumar.

The SEC was requested permission to continue the distribution of hens under  various schemes to create some leg space for the new chicks. Even though the schemes were in vogue even before the announcement of polls, the corporation had sought permission to avoid complaints in distribution. The SEC on Tuesday gave nod to carry out the distribution under the existing schemes without any fanfare.