STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Smooth conduct of elections in the State has remained on top concern for the Jammu and Kashmir Police from time-to-time and effective measures have been taken to strengthen the security grid to ensure the democratic process in a peaceful manner.
This was disclosed by the Director General of Police (DGP), K. Rajendra Kumar, while chairing a high level meeting of senior police, civil and para-military officers held at Police Control Room (PCR) Srinagar on Monday afternoon. The meeting was convened to take stock of the security arrangements made for the second phase of assembly elections in the nine assembly constituencies of South and North Kashmir. The elections of these constituencies are scheduled to be held on 2nd December, 2014.
Addressing the meeting, Rajendra impressed upon the officers to implement the action plan already framed for the security of polling booths. He stressed upon the field officers of police and other security agencies to ensure security arrangements, keeping in view the sensitivity of the area. Besides, maintaining law and order around the polling booths, security of the voters should be focussed on priority so that people could participate freely in democratic process, he added.
The DGP was apprised by the officers present in the meeting about the security and other arrangements put in place in the constituencies of Karnah, Kupwara, Lolab, Handwara and Langet in North Kashmir. Similarly, Noorabad, Kulgam, Home-Shalibugh and Devsar in South Kashmir which are going for polls in the second phase.
Rajendra stressed upon the officers to maintain close co-ordination within their ranks and other agencies to deal with any emergency in their respective jurisdictions.
Rajendra appreciated for the arrangements made for the first phase of polling and asked for maintaining close rapport and convene regular interactions for ensuring the elections in a democratic manner.
Earlier, the IGP (Kashmir Zone), A.G Mir, gave detailed briefing about the deployment of personnel from different forces to the constituencies for polling duty. He informed that during last week, several meetings were arranged with the concerned officers at their respective districts. The various issues related to the security of candidates and the polling booths were discussed and on spot instructions were given to the field staff for ensuring the smooth conduct of elections. He said on the basis of analysis and past experiences, necessary elaborate arrangements have been put in place for sensitive and hypersensitive polling booths in all the constituencies. He said that additional companies of different para-military forces have been deployed in the constituencies and joint patrolling is conducted regularly by the deployed forces.
Among others, the meeting was attended by ADGP (Armed), S.M Sahai, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Rohit Kansal, IsGP, Dr. S. Srinivas and Mukesh Singh, IG BSF, IG CRPF, IG (Ops) CRPF, IG (Adm) CRPF, Addl: Commissioner SB, DD IB, DIGP (CKR), DIsG CISF, SSB and ITBP, SSP (PCR) and other police officers.