Lok Sabha elections 2024: 17,000 cops deployed in Odisha to ensure smooth polling

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Police have made elaborate security arrangements to ensure smooth, impartial, free, and fair elections in the state, a senior police officer said on Sunday, adding 17,000 police personnel have been deployed for the first phase of polling in the state.

Assembly and Lok Sabha elections will be held simultaneously in Odisha in four phases from May 13 to June 1.

The first phase of polling in Odisha will be held on Monday. In this phase, voting will be conducted in four Parliamentary constituencies -- Kalahandi, Nabarangapur, Berhampur, and Koraput -- and 28 Assembly segments in Ganjam, Gajapati, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Rayagada and Koraput districts of the state.

Addressing a press conference here, Director General of Odisha Police (DGP) Arun Kumar Sarangi on Sunday said: "There are 7,298 polling stations located in 6,282 places of the state that will go for polls in the first phase on Monday. As many as 537 polling stations are located in Maoist-affected areas of the state.

"We have deployed a total of 17,000 police personnel of different ranks for the first phase of polling in the state. This apart, 104 companies of paramilitary forces and 66 platoons of Special Armed Police of Odisha Police will be deployed during the first phase of polling in the state," Sarangi added.

As many as 600 mobile patrolling parties, each comprising one officer and two armed police personnel, will operate in the districts going to the polls on Monday.

Each mobile team will be deployed in such a way that it can cover 10 to 12 polling booths within one-hour period and verify the security arrangements.

"The movements of mobile parties will be monitored from the concerned district control rooms through the GPS tracking system," said Sarangi.

He further added that CCTVs have been installed in each of 51 interstate border check posts located in nine police districts where elections are going to be held on Monday.

DGP Sarangi also said that 50 inter-district check posts have been set up by the districts and all the vehicles are being inspected. The senior police officer also said that as per the instructions of the Election Commission of India (ECI), 210 flying squads have been formed.

"They are taking immediate steps regarding MCC violations and other allegations. As many as 195 static surveillance teams formed as per the ECI guidelines are checking vehicles and individuals," he said.

The DGP further stated that the flying squads and static surveillance teams would also check bogus voters.

The flying squads and static surveillance teams comprise officials of different departments apart from the police personnel. (IANS)

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