Five special circles covering the Piravom Assembly Constituency have been formed as part of beefing up security arrangements for the upcoming by-poll.
A high level committee held at the Ernakulam Guest house on Thursday decided to form five special circles in Piravom, Koothattukulam, Mulanthuruthy, Chottanikkara, and Ramamangalam. Special tahsildars armed with the executive magistrate's power will be deployed to these circles.
A 50-member striking force led by the Superintendent of Police will also be kept ready for the constituency. Besides, striking forces led by circle inspectors will be present in each area. Jeep and bike patrolling is already being held in the constituency.
The meeting also decided to give police protection to flying squads to check violation of the election code.
Two police pickets will be set up at Irumpanam, within the Piravom constituency, coming under the jurisdiction of the Commissioner. The Commissioner said that special security arrangements will be undertaken in seven polling stations within this area. Patrolling will be intensified in areas under the jurisdiction of Rural SP.
Five police personnel each will be deployed in each booth and, double that number in the booths that warrant extra care. Besides, one patrolling unit each will be deployed for every five booths.
Steps have also been completed for deploying micro observers as directed by the Election Commission. Central government officials of gazetted rank will serve as micro observers.
Their training will be held at the collectorate conference hall on March 15 at 11 a.m.
Explanation has been sought from candidates in cases where considerable differences had been detected by the campaign expenditure filed by candidates and the ones drawn up by the Observers.
General Observer Umakant Panwar, Expenditure Observer K. Veerabhadra Reddy, District Collector P.I. Sheikh Pareed, City Police Commissioner M.R. Ajith Kumar, Superintendent of Police K.P. Philip, Assistant Collector Bhandari Swagath Ranvirchand, Election Deputy Collector S. Shanavas, Returning Officer E.R. Shobhana, and Electoral Registration Officer T.S. Swarnamma attended the meeting.
