GUNTUR: Aiming to provide a free and fair electoral environment in the district beside implementing strict surveillance measures to prevent illegal transportation of liquor, unaccounted cash and other valuables, as many as 48 checkposts have been set up in the erstwhile Guntur district. In addition to this, over 5,000 polling centres have been set up in the erstwhile district for the coming general elections.
In order to ensure robust surveillance, District Election Officers and SPs are conducting regular inspections at the inter-State and inter-district checkposts and critical polling stations. They are also guiding staff on enhancing vigilance strategies to achieve better results.
As many as 15 checkposts and 1,886 polling centres have been set up in Guntur district. Since the Model Code of Conduct came into force, Guntur district administration along with the police department has seized unaccountable cash, NDPL, and other items worth over `2.4 crore.
It is to be noted that Palnadu district shares over a 100-km boundary, including land and riverbed, with Nalgonda and Suryapet districts in Telangana. Taking this into consideration the Palnadu police have intensified vehicle checks at nine integrated checkposts. Along with this, six additional checkposts, including two excise checkposts, three forest and one transport department checkpost, have been set up.
Bapatla SP Vakul Jindal inspecting vehicles at a checkpost; Following the instructions of SP Bindhu Madhav, the police are conducting flag marches in critical regions. Meanwhile, Palnadu district Collector Sivashankar Lotheti is conducting ‘Palle Ndira’ programme in problematic areas and tribal villages to bring awareness on Right to Vote to the residents, aiming to increase polling percentage.
In Bapatla district, initially, nine checkposts have been set up and later the number increased to 18 to intensify the vigil. Speaking to TNIE, SP Vakul Jindal said that the police personnel are taking special measures to ensure every vehicle is thoroughly checked to prevent illegal transport of cash, liquor, drugs, and other items. “Out of the total 1,510 polling centres set up in the district, 337 have been identified as problematic centres. As a precautionary measure, a total of 8,288 history sheeters and suspicious people are bound over,” he informed.
“Out of 137 licensed weapons, 86 have been deposited with police, and the exemption was given to others. The police have seized cash, gold, silver, liquor worth `3.44 crore by Monday,” the SP added.