A vulnerability mapping exercise to ensure the conduct of free and fair polls will be taken up ahead of the State Assembly elections. Sector teams — one for every 15 of the 8,274 polling stations — have been formed and each of these 550 teams will be headed by a sector magistrate, a police officer (not below the rank of an Assistant Sub Inspector) and a videographer, said N. Manjunath Prasad, Commissioner of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), also the District Election Officer.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting on poll preparedness involving senior officials of the police and civil administration on Monday, Mr. Prasad said, “These teams will collect information from the ground whether voters are being influenced by anyone. The report, which will be a confidential document, will be submitted to the Election Commission of India, election observers and central teams overseeing the polls,” adding that this activity will continue till the day of polling.
He also said that the district election officers, along with the police, will be identifying the critical polling stations, based on the vulnerability report and guidelines of the Election Commission of India.
Each polling station has to ideally have 1,400 voters. Of the 8,274 stations, 807 have more than 1,400 voters. In such places, auxiliary stations will be set up.
Criminal cases
That apart, each of the 28 Assembly constituencies will have six flying squads and three static squads. From the minute polls are announced, these squads will keep a watch out for any violation of the model code of conduct. If any violations are found, criminal cases would be filed.
Mr. Prasad added that police personnel have been directed to file criminal cases against those who deface public and private property by putting up banners, posters, hoardings and any other publicity material. The cases will be filed under relevant sections of the Karnataka Open Spaces (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act, 1981.
Poll duty and training
Around 55,000 personnel, including drivers, are required for poll duty. Mr. Prasad has sought details of the personnel from the 1,200 Drawing and Disbursement Officers (DDOs). “We have received a list of around 20,000 from 800 DDOs. We will be serving notices to the other DDOs, who are yet to furnish details. While we may be able to get around 35,000 personnel, we will have to draw the remaining from boards, corporations and central public sector undertakings,” he said.
Once the poll dates are announced, training would be given to the personnel, as this time around along with Electronic Voting Machines (EVM), Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) will also be there in all polling stations.
“We have drawn up a calender for conduct of awareness drives. These drives will be conducted in malls and bus stations for citizens,” he said, adding that the last consignment of the EVMs and VVPATs is expected to arrive in the city shortly from Uttar Pradesh. “The first level of checking of EVMs and VVPATs is currently underway,” he said.
Enrol to vote
Citizens can still enrol to get their names added to the voters’ list. Mr. Prasad said that until 10 days before the last date to file nominations, citizens can submit applications to get their name added to the electoral rolls.
While names of absentee voters cannot be removed from the list, citizens may submit applications for addition of their name. He urged citizens to check if their names are in the electoral rolls.
Security measures
Police Commissioner T. Suneel Kumar said the draft security plan ahead of the elections is ready. Police have verified the details of rowdy elements against whom cases were filed during the 2013 Assembly polls and 2014 parliamentary elections. “We have already filed charge sheets in these cases,” he said.
Part of the security plan includes execution of non-bailable warrants against rowdy elements, apart from looking into the security concerns of the election observers and planning the police sector patrols to catch any violation of the model poll code.
Mr. Suneel Kumar added that after election dates are announced, citizens will have to deposit their licenced weapons. “We will be forming a screening committee to verify requests of exemption,” he added.
