Anti-national elements and persons with “suspicious credentials” would be under Election Commission of India’s lens ahead 2017 Punjab polls. Besides, the Commission has also issued directions to arrest the proclaimed offenders as “precautionary measure”.

The Commission, in its bid to ensure peaceful and smooth conduct of polls scheduled for January-February next year, has also asked the state authorities to complete the process of surrendering arms and ammunition “at the earliest”.

Issuing these set of directions, Deputy Election Commissioner Sandeep Saxena, who was on Punjab visit to review the poll arrangements on Friday, made it amply clear that no one would be allowed to disturb the law and order in the state. 

Saxena, addressing the senior officers of both police and administration, asked them to work fearlessly and with full commitment while ensuring implementation of the ECI guidelines in letter and spirit so that free and fair elections could be ensured in the state. 

Calling upon them, he said that they would be handling most important and crucial task of maintaining law and order situation in the state during elections. “There is a need of an hour for them to work in total coordination so as to give voter a sense of security fearless atmosphere,” he said.

He said that the activities of anti-national elements and persons with suspicious credentials would be “under constant watch of the ECI…They would not be allowed to disturb the law and order in the state”.

At the same time, he directed the police officers to arrest the proclaimed offenders as precautionary measure. “The process of

surrendering arms and ammunition should also be 100 per cent completed at the earliest,” he said.

Punjab Chief Electoral Officer VK Singh also asked the police officers to strengthen the steps to check the activities of suspicious elements and surrendering of the arms in their respective areas of operations.

Taking the issue of luring the voters seriously, the ECI has asked the state police administration to intensify police checking and ensure police nakas at sensitive points so that the voters could not be carried away by liquor, drugs or even money. Singh added that luring of voters by liquor, money or drug would not be allowed.“The already constituted committees would immediately come into action the moment model code of conduct is announced,” he said.