40K police personnel, 190 CAPF companies, 19K Home Guards deployed for Delhi polls

Delhi police has made adequate arrangements and deployed around 40,000 security personnel, 19,000 home guards and 190 companies of Central Armed Police Forces to ensure smooth conduct of the assembly elections in the national capital on Saturday, officials said. Polling will begin at 8 am and will end at 6 pm on Saturday.

While specific election duties have been given to Delhi Police personnel, the CAPF companies have been deployed to provide security at polling booths and movement of EVMs. Around 19,000 Home guards from states like Uttarakhand, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh will also assist the local police in providing security at polling booths, the officials said.

A multi-layered security has been put in place at 21 counting centres and 2,689 polling premises, out of which 545 are "critical", they said. "Delhi Police personnel and para military forces have been deployed at critical booths so that more enforcement and better arrangement can be ensured. Patrolling has also been intensified in those localities," said Sharat Kumar Singha, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Election Cell).

Marked by the BJP aggressively pushing the anti-CAA protests in Shaheen Bagh as a poll issue, the AAP hard selling development and the Congress conspicuous by its near absence, the bitter, often divisive campaign for the Delhi assembly elections ended on Thursday. Additional forces have also been deployed to bolster the security of EVMs, critical booths and counting centres, he said.

Static surveillance teams and flying squads have been deployed and special checking drives are being conducted in vulnerable areas to check any attempt to influence voters by money or muscle power and other unlawful practices, police said. "EVM transportation drill has been planned in coordination with polling officials. All necessary measures have also been taken, including from the anti-terror angle in vulnerable areas. Senior officers will closely supervise arrangements at the ground level.

"Thorough area domination will be ensured in sensitive and vulnerable areas, and all precautions will be taken to ensure smooth movement of voters to the booths," a senor police official said. Pickets on borders have been strengthened to check transportation of illicit liquor and other contraband. All border areas will be kept under strict vigil by regularly coordinating with counterparts of NCR police, he said.

Also, patrolling on boats in the Yamuna river is being done, he added. According to police, since the enforcement of Model Code of Conduct, 99,210 litres of illicit liquor, with a market value of Rs 2.72 crore and 774.1 kg drugs with a market value of Rs 4.91 crore have already been seized as part of the special drives.

So far, 504 illegal fire-arms and 730 ammunition have been recovered. Besides, 7,397 licensed weapons have also been deposited as a preventive measure, police said. Action has been taken against 7,820 people under the Excise Act.

While 5,943 persons have been booked under various sections of CRPC, 1,26,095 persons have been booked under DP Act. Besides, 529 cases have been registered under Defacement Act so far, according to the police. Police have also issued a public appeal to report and share objectionable messages and other social media messages which violate the poll code.

The counting of votes will be taken on February 11.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)