Telangana: Constant vigil, One senior cop in each Constituency for LS Polls

Hyderabad: With Lok Sabha Elections just around the corner, the State government has decided to appoint one Police officer (assistant commissioner of police rank) for each constituency in Hyderabad.

The decision was taken up by the district election authorities. The authorities have also identified a total of 1,404 polling stations as critical while also identified 336 routes as vulnerable with 17 other polling stations identified as stations where untoward incidents, violence have already been reported in the past polls.

District Election Officer (DEO), M Dana Kishore briefing on details added: “Additional paramilitary forces will be pressed into service at these places and there will be a constant vigil in these areas by service flying squads.”

The police department has also been directed to get ready with plans ahead of elections, TOI reports.

“Enforcement drives, the deposit of weapons and arms, finalization of election-related cases, winding up history sheeters will start within a week or 10 days. As per the election code of conduct, around 12 to 14 officers are likely to be transferred,” said Hyderabad Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar.

Expenditure monitoring teams, nodal officers from the excise department to control illegal transportation of liquor, officials from the income tax department have also been appointed.

Not only did the authorities identify critical polling stations but also the rationalization of all polling stations is being carried out.

With three parliamentary constituencies in Hyderabad district — Hyderabad, Secunderabad and parts of Malkajgiri, the Hyderabad parliamentary constituency, post rationalization, has 1,935 polling stations for 19,32,926 voters (as on Feburary 10) while Secunderabad has 1,809 stations for 19,14,954 voters.

The authorities have also proposed an additional 51 new polling stations in Hyderabad and location change of 53 poll stations.

Similarly, in Secunderabad, the authorities have proposed an addition of 99 polling stations and a location change of 58 polling stations.

The first level checking of electronic voting machines (EVM) is expected to be completed by February 25 while voters list will be published by February 22 according to the authorities.