The city police are making elaborate security arrangements for the Assembly and Parliament elections, scheduled on April 11, under the Vijayawada Police Commissionerate limits, according to Police Commissioner Ch. Dwaraka Tirumala Rao.
Prohibitory orders were in force under Section 30 of Police Act and Section 144 of CrPc. No meetings and rallies should be conducted without obtaining permission and all political parties were requested to follow the model code of conduct, failing which action would be taken as per the law, Mr. Rao warned.
Briefing to the media about the arrangements being made for the polls, the Police Commissioner said on Sunday that there were 1,483 polling stations in the Commissionerate limits for Vijayawada East, West, Central, part of Mylavaram, Gannavaram, Penamaluru and part of Pamarru Assembly segments and two Parliamentary constituencies.
In all, 873 sensitive polling booths in 328 locations were identified. Police bound over 1,043 rowdy sheeters, suspects and persons involved in previous cases, 284 weapons were deposited out of 378, and 493 Non-Bailable Warrants (NBWs) were executed so far. Still 501 NBWs have to be executed, he said.
Police so far seized ₹48.42 lakh, 6.254 kg of gold, 125 cricket kits, 40 volley ball kits and four cell phones as code of conduct was already in for the Legislative Council elections. As many as 161 armed squads, 15 flying squads, 12 static teams would be deployed and 14 check-posts and 34 police pickets would be set up. Besides, striking forces headed by SIs, CIs, ACPs, Additional DCPs and DCPs would be constituted, Mr. Rao said.
Social media
A Social Media Monitoring Cell, headed by an ACP and CI, was constituted to watch the election related campaign on social media sites and televisions.
Public were requested to alert police by dialling ‘100’, 0866-2579999, 0866-2576956, 4th Lion APP or by sending messages to Whatsapp No.7328909090, on violation of Model Code of Conduct, the Commissioner said. Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) Ch. Venkata Appala Naidu and Harshavardhan Raju, Additional DCPs, Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACPs) and other officers were present.
