“Steps will be taken for free and fair election”

All efforts would be taken to conduct a free and fair election in all the four Assembly constituencies in the district, and adequate force would be deployed in 90 sensitive polling stations, said Collector S. Nagarajan.

Talking to press persons after assuming office here on Sunday, Nagarajan said that paramilitary force would be deployed, besides State police, in all sensitive polling stations. All arrangements had been made in 1,177 polling stations for the smooth conduct of the election.

On seizure of cash, he said that 82 cases were filed against persons who were carrying cash without valid documents between March 3 and April 23. Cash to the tune of Rs. 40.65 lakh was seized by special surveillance teams during surprise vehicle checks within the district. The money, except Rs. 1.99 lakh, was returned to the owners on production of valid documents by them, he added.

Mr. Nagarajan served as Additional Collector for the DRDA at the Secretariat, Collector of Vellore district in 2011-12 and Kanyakumari district in 2012-2014, and Director for e-Governance.

Superintendent of Police J. Mahesh, District Revenue Officer S. Ponnammal, DRDA Director Malathi and others were present.

Later, Mr. Nagarajan inspected the training programme for polling officials.