Flawless security steps for election: Collector

Police deployment to be based on vulnerability mapping

District Collector Seeram Sambasiva Rao has said that flawless security arrangements are being made in the district ahead of the Lok Sabha elections on the basis of the latest vulnerability mapping and safety audit conducted by the election authorities with the support of the police.

Addressing the media here on Monday, Mr. Rao said the police deployment, including the additional force to be sanctioned by the Centre, would be made on the basis of the vulnerability mapping.

“We have closely assessed all the safety and security issues and previous incidents of violence in the sector-wise studies conducted on the basis of the instructions from the Election Commission. Kozhikode was one of the districts identified for stepping up security and surveillance measures ahead of the elections,” he said responding to a question relating to Maoist threats in the northern region.

He said the regional-level meeting to discuss the security arrangements would be held soon by the police.

The Collector, who is also the District Election Officer, said the support of Akshaya would be sought to ensure live surveillance over vulnerable areas.

Along with the police, a number of other surveillance squads had already been deployed and the Static Surveillance Team had seized ₹15 lakh kept by various persons without proper records, he said.

Special arrangements

There would be special arrangements for the differently abled and senior citizens to cast their votes without any trouble. Keeping the slogan ‘no voter to be left behind’, a list of 16 transgender persons had been forwarded to the election authorities for inclusion in the voter list, Mr. Rao said.

Considering the hot weather conditions, the Health Department would arrange medical assistance for the voters at the polling stations.

The Collector, who held a round of review meeting with the City and District Police Chiefs and other senior officials on security arrangements, urged the people to report all suspected violation of the Model Code of Conduct through the cVIGIL Android app. “Action on such complaints will be taken within 100 minutes and there is a dedicated IT team to manage the mechanism,” he added.