Bhubaneswar: Ahead of the by-election to Nuapada Assembly constituency in Odisha, Director General of Police (DGP) Yogesh Bahadur Khurania on Tuesday reviewed the overall security arrangements for the bypoll.
During the meeting, the DGP stressed the need to ensure a free, fair, transparent, and impartial election process for the November 11 bypoll.
Khurania directed officials to ensure strict compliance with the Election Commission of India (ECI) guidelines, particularly regarding the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct and the security of VIP and VVIP movements during the poll period.
The DGP instructed police officials to intensify preventive actions, including the apprehension of suspicious individuals under Sections 107 and 110 of the CrPC, crackdown on illegal money flow, and the seizure of illicit arms and liquor. He also stressed the importance of executing pending Non-Bailable Warrants (NBWs) ahead of polling day.
Additional DGP (Law and Order) Sanjay Kumar stressed the need for strengthening mobile patrolling, deploying flying squads, and establishing check posts at key entry points to intercept suspicious persons and vehicles.
State Intelligence Director R P Koche shared critical intelligence inputs and urged DIGs and SPs to closely monitor the law and order situation in and around the constituency.
On potential Maoist threats, ADGP (Anti-Naxal Operations) Sanjeev Panda said combing operations and anti-Maoist drives have been intensified in affected areas of the district. He said comprehensive security plans have already been finalized to ensure peaceful polling.
As part of the election security deployment, a total of 14 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), 5 platoons of OSAP/APR, 35 mobile patrolling units, 18 flying squads, and 18 Static Surveillance Teams (SST) will be mobilised, in addition to the district police personnel.
Range DIG K.B. Singh briefed the DGP on specific strategies aimed at curbing illegal liquor trade, narcotics trafficking, and execution of pending warrants. He also stated that CCTV surveillance and robust security arrangements have been made at strong rooms to safeguard the EVMs.
Khurania assured that all necessary support would be extended to Nuapada district authorities to ensure the smooth and secure conduct of the by-election.