4K cops, 70 patrolling teams to ensure peaceful poll in Mohali

Mohali, May 28

To ensure free, fair and transparent elections, the 72-hour standard operating procedure will come into force in the district from Wednesday evening. Over 4,000 police personnel will be deployed under advance deployment plan. Besides, 70 patrolling teams will remain active in the field round the clock.

Speaking to mediapersons at the District Administrative Complex here today, District Electoral Officer-cum-Deputy Commissioner Aashika Jain, who was accompanied by SSP Dr Sandip Garg, said to keep the polling free of inducement and allurement, movement of cash, drugs, liquor and precious goods would be monitored.

Checking teams including the police, excise, GST, static surveillance and flying squad, would be extra alert to check every light vehicle and lorry. She appealed to the general public to keep all valid documents if they had to carry an amount more than Rs 50,000 in cash.

Trucks and commercial vehicles would be checked to prevent smuggling of arms and ammunitions and anti-social elements. No disbursement of grant to NGOs and self-help groups would be allowed to check the flow of money.

The number of static surveillance teams and flying squads were enhanced from existing nine per constituency to 12 for this period.

The eight polling locations falling in the Kharar constituency where the mobile connectivity is low have been equipped with motor bikes and messengers besides deployment of micro observers and facilities of webcasting and CCTVs. Similarly, the 89 vulnerable/critical polling booths situated at 33 locations would be under watch.

All marriage palaces, resorts, banquet halls, community halls of local bodies and village panchayats have been asked to submit their bookings for the next 72 hours to the district administration and the police so that it could be ensured these are not for election-related gatherings.