As many as 139 companies of Central Armed Police Forces, besides the armed platoons of APSP and State Police, will be deployed for the peaceful conduct of by-elections for 18 assembly and one Parliament seat in the State.
Briefing the media after holding video-conference with Collectors, SPs, Returning Officers and other election officers of 12 districts at his chambers in the State Secretariat here on Tuesday, Chief Electoral Officer Bhanwarlal said that the Election Commission would write to the Union Home Ministry seeking 139 companies of CAPF. He informed that a total of 134 check points have been set up in both State and district borders. He said the Electronic Voting Machines for all the assembly segments were ready and some EVMs were being brought from Prakasam district for the Nellore Lok Sabha seat.
The District Election Officers have reported that the check posts, flying squads, Static Surveillance teams have been formed. Cent percent door to door verification is underway by the booth-level officers to find out the duplicate entries/shifted and dead electors and also to enroll eligible left out electors.
The CEO said that the APSRTC has been directed to remove the publicity ads of the State Government from all its buses operating in the election-bound districts.
Bhanwarlal said that the Election Commission would take adequate measures to control the flow of liquor and money during the by-elections. Besides having flying squads, for the first, Mandal Model Conduct Teams have formed which would be comprised of three members and a videographer. There would be 10-12 mobile squads for each district. He said the voters would be able to give complaints of flow of liquor or money even through SMS to the Election Commission officials.
The CEO said that as on Tuesday, as many as 1460 licensed arms have been deposited/impounded or cancelled. A total of 1,317 people in 12 districts have been bound down under Section 107,m 106 Cr Pc. While 93 non-bailable warrants have been executed, 2,981 warrants were pending.
Further, the authorities have seized cash of Rs 1.29 crore from 12 election-bound districts. Of this, Rs 15 lakh has been seized in East Godavari, Rs 17.60 lakh in Guntur, Rs 60 lakh in Prakasam, Rs 3.30 lakh in Nellore, Rs 10 lakh in Anantapur and Rs 24 lakh cash have been seized in Chittoor district. The authorities have also seized 15,937.05 litres of illicit liquor in 12 districts. As many as 294 people have been arrested in connection with 548 prohibition cases. (INN)