Elaborate security arrangements have been made to ensure free and fair election in the State slated on Wednesday. The inter-State and inter-district border areas have been sealed with the deployment of Central and State police forces. Besides, those coming to the State are being thoroughly frisked in coordination with the police stations of the neighbouring States.
Apart from the deployment of around 22, 000 State police forces, 105 companies of Central Armed Police Forces have been deployed at polling stations, vulnerable polling stations, critical polling stations and also at strong rooms where electronic voting machines will be kept after the election is over, said the director general of police, MA Ganapathy while talking to The Pioneer on Tuesday. He added that the district police chiefs have been directed to launch inter-State checking and inter-district checking drives with the assistance of the additional central police forces being deployed to stop smuggling of liquors and unaccounted for cash, things normally used by the supporters of the candidates .
Armed police forces have been deputed at vulnerable polling stations and also included in the teams of quick response force. They would ensure security of inter-state barriers and special trouble areas aside from keeping guard on the electronic voting machines being used in the election. Apart from 30 companies of PAC, around 8000 home guards from Rajasthan, 2500 from Himachal Pradesh and 2000 from Uttar Pradesh have also been deputed to complete the election peacefully, the DGP said.
Ganapathy further said that intelligence personnel have been put on alert. Besides, 210 static surveillance teams, video surveillance teams and 210 flying squad teams have been put on alert to stop supply of liquors or unaccounted cash, he said.
A total of 10854 polling booths and 8126 polling centres have been set up for 69 constituencies across the State. Out of them, 1283 polling centres have been demarcated as vulnerable while 1564 as critical. Apart from deployment of other forces, one CAPF personal and one constable will be deployed at vulnerable polling centres while one PAC personal and one constable at critical police station. Based on the sensitivities of polling booths, videography of 221 polling centres and photography at 202 polling stations would be conducted.
Micro observers would be appointed at 1173 polling centres while Central Armed Police Force personnel have been deputed at 1282 polling centres, the state’s top cop said, adding that at 181 polling centres, web casting would be conducted.