The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Security beefed up for byelections

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Sunday, May 25, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Security beefed up for byelections

Strict action against those violating model code of conduct

Micro-observers to be deployed in vulnerable polling stations
Susceptible areas to have police blockade and strike force personnel

HYDERABAD: District election officials on Saturday said that all possible measures, in terms of logistics and security, were being taken for the smooth conduct of byelections in Musheerabad, Khairatabad and Secunderabad Assembly constituencies on May 29 and for the counting of votes on June 1. After meeting election officers and police officials, the District Election Officer and GHMC Commissioner C.V.S.K. Sharma expressed confidence that the bypolls would be a smooth affair.

Over 10,000 polling officials and 7,000 police personnel—including five companies of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and one Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) company—have been roped in for the byelections. Micro-observers and senior polling officers appointed directly by the Central Election Commission (CEC) would be deployed at all vulnerable polling stations. The police have identified 116 sensitive and 20 hypersensitive polling stations at Musheerabad, eight sensitive and 46 hypersensitive polling stations in Secunderabad and 84 sensitive and 63 hypersensitive stations at Khairatabad. The micro-observers would send independent election reports directly to the CEC, officials said.

The Hyderabad Police Commissioner B. Prasada Rao and the Cyberabad Commissioner S. Prabhakar Reddy, who participated in the review meeting, said that susceptible polling stations would have police blockade and strike force personnel ready to control any untoward incident.

“As a preventive measure, we have rounded-up 135 rowdy elements each in Hyderabad and Cyberabad limits. We will keep a close tab on such persons till election day and the 17 police stations in Khairatabad, Secunderabad and Musheerabad will be on high alert. An SI will be permanently posted at all polling stations,” Mr. Rao said.

Voters who have not received their Electoral Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) can still cast their votes by producing alternative ID cards like passports, driving licence and PAN cards.

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Andhra Pradesh