State Election Commissioner R Parasuram has said that concrete security arrangements will be made during the three-tier Panchayat elections in the State. Parasuram reviewed preparations for security arrangements to be made during elections here on Tuesday. DGP Surendra Sinh informed that more forces than last general elections of Panchayats will be deployed this time.
Parasuram said that mobile teams of police must remain in touch with presiding officers and polling officers through mobile numbers. He informed that polling will be held upto 2 pm only in lanji, Kirnapur, Baihar and Varaseoni development blocks of Balaghat district. DGP informed that this time, 12 SAF companies, 1100 units of other forces will be deployed during the first phase, 15 SAF companies and 2700 units of other forces and 17 SAF companies and 3100 units of other forces will be deployed during third phase of Panchayat elections apart from 70 gazetted officers. A team of 30 police personnel will also be available at district headquarters to make available for rapid action. This is being done for the first time.
In all, 1195 vulnerable pockets have been identified in all districts and prohibitory action has been taken in 520 of these. As many as 220 persons have been externed following enforcement of model code of conduct and action under NSA has been taken in 4 cases. A total of 1.29 lakh litre liquor valued at Rs37.74 lakh has been seized following enforcement of model code of conduct. During this action, 2579 persons have also been arrested. IG Makrand Deoskar and other officers also attended the meeting.