SHILLONG, FEB 22: Over 5900 polling officers and 5200 police personnel have been deputed in the six districts of Khasi and Jaintia hills to ensure a ‘fair’ and ‘error-free’ elections to the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) and Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) slated for February 24.
To ensure a peaceful conduct of the ADCs election, the state government has asked the Border Security Forces (BSF) to seal and intensify patrolling along the international border with Bangladesh and in the militancy infested areas.
“A total of 5968 polling officers have been deputed for the purpose of conduct of the upcoming elections to the two autonomous district councils,” Commissioner & Secretary in-charge political department Jopthiaw Lyngdoh told reporters at a news conference on Saturday evening.
Giving a break up, Lyngdoh informed that the government has deputed 1148 presiding officers and 3444 polling officers (include first, second and third polling officers) under the KHADC and 344 presiding officers and 1032 polling officers for JHADC.
Lyngdoh said that as many as 1553 vehicles have also been provided to all the district administrations to ensure quick and easy mobility during the election process.
Informing that a series of review meetings were also held on the preparedness of all the district administrations for the upcoming elections, Lyngdoh informed that the Returning Officers have also held number of meetings with the different political parties apprising them of the model code of conduct and setting up of polling booths and campaign offices.
Regarding the precautionary measures take to maintain law and order, Lyngdoh said that prohibitory order under section 144 CrPC and declaring of dry days have been imposed in all the districts. Large numbers of arms have also been deposited by license arm holders.
Lyngdoh revealed that those arm license holders who have failed to deposit their arms; the state government has sent police officials to collect the arms.
Lyngdoh also said that counting centres have also been identified with 15 counting centres (all are in Jawaharlal Nehru stadium) in East Khasi Hills, 5 in Ri Bhoi, 2 in South West Khasi Hills, 3 in West Khasi Hills, 2 – Mairang Civil Sub division, 2 – Sohra Civil Sub division under KHADC and 4 counting centres for West Jaintia Hills and 3 in East Jaintia Hills under the JHADC.
Informing that a total of 1925 electronic voting machines (EVMs) are ready for use in the 1492 polling stations for both the ADCs, Lyngdoh said, “The strong room is being guarded under tight security cover provided by the Meghalaya Police Battalion with CCTV cameras to strengthen the monitoring process.”
Lyngdoh said that the complaint redressal cells (CRCs) have been set up in all the deputy commissioner offices and Sub Division Officer (SDO) offices for people to lodge any kind of complaints.
The state police have also asked the border security forces to seal and intensify patrolling along the Indo-Bangla international borders, State DIG Eastern Range A Sunn said while informing that so far as the inter-state border is concerned, the Assam counterpart has assured full cooperation.
“The deputy commissioners and superintendent of police have are keeping constant touch with their Assam counterpart,” Sunn stated.
Sunn informed that 5284 police personnel have been deployed for the purpose of conduct of elections in the two ADCs which include the rank from SP level down to constable.
“The police personnel have been assigned with various duties to oversee and monitor the law and order situation and conduct of polls, especially in those areas which have been identified as sensitive and hyper sensitive polling stations,” Sunn said.
Sunn informed that depending on the situation; police deployment are not less than five armed personnel for hyper sensitive polling stations and four for sensitive while for normal polling stations we are deploying only two armed personnel
On militancy infested areas, Sunn said, “We are also deploying SWAT team in these areas to ensure that there are no disturbances during the elections.”
Sunn, however, clarified that the 10 companies of CRPF deployed in the state will not be utilize for the conduct of elections but to assist the state police in maintaining law and order problems.- By Our Reporter
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