DGP Anjani Kumar said that election management is something new for every officer and there are always new challenges in the management of elections.
DGP Anjani Kumar conducted a refresher programme on Monday for all police commissioners and SPs on issues like advance administrative arrangements for the elections being held in the state in the next five to six months, the election code of conduct, old cases of election-related crimes etc.
Additional DG Soumya Mishra, Deputy Director of Police Academy Naveen Kumar and DCP Cyberabad Traffic Division Abhishek Mohanty, who went as peace and security observers through the Central Election Commission to the recent Assembly elections in Karnataka, spoke about their experiences there and the precautions to be taken to maintain peace during the conduct of elections through video conferencing.
The DGP said that although there are five to six months left for the Assembly elections, unit officers should be clear about the plans to be made by June and July, as well as all the issues connected to the election like the election code of conduct, staff deployment, coordination with Central forces, etc.
As most officers of the current unit are new every police officer who has experience in managing elections should help, he said.
Additional DG Soumya Mishra and DCP Abhishek Mohanty who were observers during the Karnataka elections, explained their experience in conducting elections there.
The role of the police in the conduct of elections like providing security, deployment of security forces, planning and precautions to be taken from the filing of nomination papers to campaigning, polling day management etc were discussed.
A detailed presentation by Additional DG Soumya Mishra dealt with the security measures to be taken at polling centres in troubled areas, challenges in holding elections, special measures to be taken in terror areas, implementation of the election code of conduct, special arrangements to be made on polling day, transporting EVMs and counting day security.
Additional DG (Intelligence) Anil Kumar said that all police officers who have completed three years in areas where elections are held must be transferred and arrangements should be made now itself.
Sanjay Kumar Jain, the Additional DG of Law and Order, said that special attention should be paid to identifying problematic polling stations and to establish check posts in border areas.
Additional DG of CID Mahesh Bhagwat said that one guide policeman should be selected in all police stations and this guide police officer will be useful for Central forces.
He informed that once the election announcement is made no transfers should be made. He said that all transfers should be done before the announcement of elections.
Telangana Police Battalions Additional DG Swati Lakra said that a special control room will be opened to monitor the deployment of Central paramilitary forces coming to the state. Additional DG Vijay Kumar said the services of trainee police constables who are currently undergoing training should also be utilised.
IG Shahnawaz Kasim said the good practices implemented during the last elections should be implemented now also. He said that plans can be made easier if they are prepared six months before the election.
Intelligence Department DIG Karthikeya said that micro-level plans have to be prepared before elections. He said that all critical, vulnerable polling centres should be identified in advance.
