Hyderabad, Feb10 (TNT): Ahead of polling for municipal elections across Telangana on Wednesday, Director General of Police B. Shivadhar Reddy said comprehensive security and surveillance arrangements have been put in place to ensure free, fair and peaceful elections in seven Municipal Corporations and 116 Municipalities.
Addressing the media here on Tuesday, Reddy said a total of 8,203 polling stations have been set up across the State, of which 1,302 have been identified as highly sensitive and 1,926 as sensitive, with enhanced deployment of police forces at vulnerable locations.
To strengthen transparency and voter confidence, 100 per cent webcasting has been arranged at all polling stations, while CCTV surveillance has been intensified outside polling premises, particularly in sensitive and hyper-sensitive areas, he said.
As part of election enforcement, around 3,000 additional personnel drawn from departments including TGSP, Forest, Excise, CID and Legal Metrology have been deployed, he said following the end of campaigning, the silent period came into force at 5 pm on Monday, with visible policing and night patrolling stepped up across urban areas.
The DGP said enforcement under the Model Code of Conduct, which came into force on January 27, has led to seizures worth ₹3.09 crore, including ₹1.29 crore in cash, liquor worth ₹1.21 crore, narcotics valued at ₹15.7 lakh, and gold and silver ornaments worth ₹28.69 lakh, aimed at preventing inducement of voters.
To curb illegal movement of cash and election-related material, 20 inter-State check posts and 55 district border check posts have been set up. Special surveillance is being maintained along the borders with Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, supported by 181 flying squads and 167 static surveillance teams, the DGP said.
As a preventive step to maintain law and order during polling, 1,183 licensed weapons have been deposited, 4,318 history-sheeters have been bound over, 398 non-bailable warrants executed, and 142 FIRs registered for election-related violations, he said.
The DGP said field-level officers have been thoroughly trained for election duties and appealed to voters to exercise their franchise freely and fearlessly, without yielding to inducements or intimidation.
Additional Director General of Police (Law & Order) Mahesh M. Bhagwat and senior officials were present at the press conference.
TNT TS
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