Polls: Over 20,000 security men deployed in Hyd, Secunderabad

Hyderabad, April 28: Over 20,000 security personnel will be deployed in twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad to maintain law and order and for peaceful conduct of the first phase of Assembly and Lok Sabha polls to be held on April 30.

"In the first phase, two parliamentary seats (of Hyderabad and Secunderabad) and fifteen Assembly constituencies will go to polls on April 30 in Hyderabad city and all security arrangements have been made to maintain law and order and for smooth conduct of polls," city Police Commissioner Anurag Sharma told reporters here today.

More than 20,000 security personnel, including 14,000 personnel from city police, besides 37 companies of central para-military forces and 8 companies of Andhra Pradesh Special Police, will be deployed at various places in the city, he said.

"We will ensure that a peaceful and free atmosphere is prevailing on the election day so that everyone (voters) can cast his vote freely and without fear," Sharma said.

Elections will be held in 3,442 polling stations at over 1,414 locations across the city and out of this 197 (polling locations) have been categorised as "hyper-critical" while 304 as "critical" and additional forces will be deployed at such places, he said.

As part of the bandobast, 1,013 pickets have been set up to prevent any untoward incident from happening and disruption of law and order.

"381 mobile parties will cover all polling stations and polling locations," Sharma said, adding that to maintain public order and peace the city police also issued prohibitory orders in a radius of 200 meters from the polling stations.

Hyderabad and Secunderabad are 17 out of total 42 Lok Sabha constituencies, besides 119 Assembly seats, in Telangana region that will go to polls on Wednesday. The rest of 25 Lok Sabha seats and 175 Assembly constituencies in Seemandhra will go to polls in the final phase on May 7.

PTI