LS polls: Interstate coordination committee takes stock of preparations for elections
Chandigarh, April 18, 2019: The officers of Interstate Coordination Committee on Thursday held a meeting with the various law enforcement agencies, in view of the Lok Sabha polls.
Punjab Chief Electoral Officer Dr S Karuna Raju and DGP Dinkar Gupta took stock of preparations for elections, besides holding discussions with the officers from Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Chandigarh and Jammu & Kashmir.
Interacting with the officers, Dr Raju emphasised that Punjab and neighbouring states should ensure the effective setting up of interstate police barriers to check the vehicles passing through these nakas. He said that all vehicles, including Government vehicles and ambulances, should be checked.
He also directed to ensure checking of Volvo busses and trucks entering the state from Delhi side by setting up surprise police nakas by installing CCTV cameras at these points.
The CEO instructed the law enforcement agencies that polls should be conducted in a transparent manner, without any fear. He also pointed out that the expenditure limit of Rs 70 should also be under close vigil and smuggling of intoxicants and arms should also be checked strictly.
He said that surveillance teams should also act proactively against the illegal flow of cash, if any, besides monitoring the online transactions. He said that no one could use religious places for electioneering, which would also be maintained strictly.
Briefing about the camera-enabled vehicles, Dr Raju said the EC had started operation of one vehicle in each Assembly constituency, which were working round-the-clock, to keep a close tab on election-related activities.
Polls in Punjab to be held in last phase and people from other states can come to influence the voters, so adequate and necessary preventive measures should be timely put in place, he added.
It was also informed in the meeting that as per the directions of EC, no parole should be granted to inmates convicted in the cases of drug smuggling. The CEO said that in cases of parole to convicted persons in routine cases should be given after having prior permission from the Election Commission and that parole would also be granted for a minimum duration only in emergency.
Speaking on the occasion, DGP Dinkar Gupta asked the officers of law enforcement agencies to share the information relating to law and order.
He said that it was the need of the hour for security agencies to remain more vigilant in view of the attempts of foreign hands to disrupt the law and order of this border state.
He also directed the security agencies to maintain law and order in coming days with the political activities catching pace once the filing of nominations start in the state.
There would be no smuggling of allopathy medicine, country made liquor and opium specially from Baddi and Damtal in Himachal Pradesh, the officers from Himachal Pradesh assured in the meeting. The o9fficers from Rajasthan also assured that they would also strictly control the smuggling of poppy husk and opium, if any.
The officers from Haryana informed the meeting that they had made elaborate arrangements to check smuggling of illegal arms from Uttar Pradesh borders, besides conducting checking of vehicles minutely, to plug the flow of unaccounted cash.(agency)