Tight security deployment of 5,000 police personnel for voting and counting process

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

To maintain law and order during the voting and vote-counting process scheduled on Thursday and Friday, the city police have made extensive security arrangements. As many as 4,667 police officers and personnel have been deployed, and the city police will remain on duty for more than 48 hours, from Thursday through midnight on Friday.

To ensure the smooth conduct of the municipal elections, commissioner of police Pravin Pawar on Tuesday issued necessary instructions to senior officers and police station in-charges. Under the leadership of deputy commissioners of police Pankaj Atulkar, Prashant Swami, Sharmishtha Gharge-Valavalkar and Ratnakar Navle, meetings were held continuously over the past five days to plan the two-day security deployment. In addition to ground-level security, more than 10 drones will be used to monitor sensitive locations. Specially trained cyber police personnel have also been deployed, said DCP (Crime Branch) Ratnakar Navle.

283 Persons to be externed for 48 hours

To prevent untoward incidents, 283 individuals with a criminal background during previous elections will be externed for 48 hours covering the voting and counting period. They will be allowed to cast their vote between 7 am and 10 am before the action is enforced.

Preventive action has been taken against 905 offenders.

28 persons externed for the entire election period.

Four notorious criminals detained under the MPDA Act and shifted to prisons outside the district.

847 licensed weapons have been deposited.

Security Arrangements

4,667 police personnel deployed on Thursday and Friday.

1,928 home guards deployed to assist the police.

One SRPF company and two platoons of armed personnel deployed in sensitive areas.

Restrictions on vehicles, tablets and mobile phones

Vote counting will take place on January 16 at Garware Hi-Tech Films (Chikalthana Industrial Area), Government Polytechnic College (Osmanpura), Government Engineering College and St Francis High School.

Use and exchange of mobile phones and tablets will be prohibited within a 100-metre radius of all polling and counting centres.

Carrying matchboxes, lighters and tobacco products will be prohibited.

Entry will be restricted to election officials, staff, candidates, their authorised representatives and personnel appointed by the election office.

Only vehicles permitted by the Returning Officer will be allowed entry, as per orders issued by the commissioner of police Pravin Pawar.

Appeal to voters

“All necessary measures have been taken to ensure smooth and peaceful conduct of the municipal elections. Voters should exercise their franchise fearlessly, not believe rumours, avoid posting objectionable content on social media, and immediately contact the police in case of any untoward incident,”

— Pravin Pawar, commissioner of police