Police Draw Up Strategy For Safe Conduct Of Polls In Bhubaneswar & Cuttack

Bhubaneswar: The Commissionerate Police on Friday held a review meeting to draw up the strategy to ensure peaceful conduct of Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.

All police station-in-charges, senior officers and Deputy Commissioner of Police were present in the meeting chaired by Commissioner of Police Sanjeev Panda.

Briefing the media after the meeting, Panda said based on Election Commission guidelines, they have identified 125 booths from 722 booths in 7 Assembly constituencies as critical and discussed on extra measures to be enforced there.

The measures include action under Sections 107 and 110 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) against persons with previous criminal cases against them.

He said their focus is also on execution of non-bailable warrants (NBWs). While 283 NBWS have been executed, 200 have been returned. The Commissionerate Police has uploaded the list of NBWs and asked all police stations to put it on their notice boards. In case the accused is not at home, the police have been asked to paste the NBW copy outside his house.

Panda informed that one platoon of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) has already arrived and they have started regular flag march along with local police in sensitive areas.

Giving details on enforcement measures already taken, Panda said the Commissionerate Police has seized Rs 2 lakh in cash, 10 arms, liquor worth Rs 30 lakh, 566 gm of brown sugar and in phases will bound down 63 people under Section 110 of CRPC and 1,332 people under Section 107 of CrPC.

The process of recalling the licensed guns has also started. While 297 guns have already been deposited, others will be deposited in phases, Panda said, reiterating that all measures are being taken for smooth conduct of the ual elections.