The Maharashtra government will install a network of closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras in all sensitive booths in the State’s 48 Lok Sabha constituencies ahead of the elections.
The State had made a similar arrangement in the last Assembly elections to monitor 150-odd sensitive booths. However, the effort did not achieve satisfactory results owing to poor network and limited reach of the service providers. Now, with fourth generation broadband connectivity and other technological advancements, the government will be able to cover all sensitive booths with fixed and mounted CCTV cameras, officials said.
Simultaneous elections
Milind Bharambe, Special Inspector General (Law and Order), Maharashtra Police, said, “We have asked the district election officers to ensure cameras are installed inside the booths to ensure free and fair elections. The officers will be monitoring any untoward activity and movement.”
The general elections are scheduled to be held between April and May simultaneously with Assembly elections in Haryana, Odisha, Sikkim, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, and Jammu & Kashmir. The Election Commission of India (EC) has asked Maharashtra to begin preparations for the elections by putting in place a team of senior State secretaries to monitor the situation. The EC in its letter on January 15 asked State governments to present its individual poll management plan to the Centre. Maharashtra will be presenting its interim poll management plan to the EC shortly.
The government has put together a comprehensive plan to ensure safety during the elections. It will include measures to freeze arterial roads and 91 check posts on the State’s border, tighten security at sensitive booths, serve notices and move ‘chapter cases’ against antisocial elements. The process to identity suspects has started and they will be asked to sign a bond declaring their activities, officials said.
Published - February 03, 2019 12:00 am IST
