Security arrangements for polls in Asom reviewed

Guwahati, Mar 16: Adequate security arrangements have been made to ensure free and fair elections in Asom, deputy election commissioner R.Balakrishnan said here today.

Talking to newspersons after reviewing the poll security arrangements with state government officials here, Mr Balakrishnan said a master plan has been received by the state election officers from the Chief Election Commission regarding security arragements and other model code of conducts to smooth polls in the state.

Asom goes to the polls in two phases on April 3 and 10.

He said there will be transperancy in the entire process of polls and central obserers will visit each polling centre to oversee the arrangements. Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) will be introduced and all machines will be verified prior the polls, so that they function faultlessly.

All poll materials, including vehicles, for the election has been arranged in the state.

Adequate forces have been requisitioned for the election in the state and security personnel will be deployed in all the polling stations. Homeguards and Village Defence Party (VDP) members will also be deployed through a process of random selection, Mr Balakrishnan added.

After the polls are over, the EVMs will be kept in the strong rooms in the presence of the central observers. Candidates will also be allowed to put their own locks in the strong rooms for the safety of the EVMs. Even candidates will be allowed to put their personnel guards in the strong rooms, if necessary, besides round the clock patrolling by the commission guards, he said.

To a question, he said, specific problems of different areas of a state have been studied in detail and adequate measures are being taken, he said.

Daily Monitoring System have been introduced for smooth functioning of the security arrangements, he said.

During the past one week, 2291 persons have been apprehended in the state against whome non bailable warrans are pending. Nbws are yet to be executed over 21,000 persons in the state, he pointed out.

State chief election officer J.P.Prakash was also present during the press meet.

UNI