Deploy central police, don’t keep them as reserve: EC

JAIPUR: Amid concerns over security arrangements, the Election Commission has again asked chief electoral officers to use central armed police forces optimally and lay fool-proof blanket of security during the voting.

Observing the state government's tendency to keep central police as 'reserves', EC asked chief electoral officer (CEO) to deploy all central police personnel in election duty. In its orders, it maintained that actually not deploying central police personnel in election related duties defeats the very purpose of augmenting the local forces resulting in sub-optimal benefits.

Central police are made available by the ministry of home affairs to the state government depending on the sensitivity of polling station in the state. EC has also asked the CEOs to prepare a complete state deployment plan taking into account the available forces with them. Based on these plans, a quantum of forces will be deployed in different constituencies.

"State deployment plans will be based on district plans, which will be prepared by the district collector and SPs. Each district has different requirements depending on the number of sensitive polling stations in the constituency," said an official in the Election Commission. "Our plans are almost ready as the final draft is to be shared with Election Commission a week before the polling day," added the official.

For the district level plans, EC has asked all states to ensure that polling stations are covered with adequate static duty forces reinforced by necessary mobile patrolling at the level of zones and sectors. For the identified sensitive and trouble-prone booths other forces like state police and home guards should be deployed in adequate numbers.

Meanwhile, EC has asked that one central police jawan should be stationed at the entrance of the polling station so that he can keep a watch on the proceedings that are going on inside the station. They will be mandated to ensure that no unauthorized person enters the polling station and no irregularity is being committed by the polling staff. The jawan will also ensure that voters are not being bullied or threatened.

Huge security as LS polls loom

Based on the guidelines issued by EC, chief electoral officer, Ashok Jain, has ordered for full proof arrangements of security in the state. He said that to win over the confidence of electors and ensuring free and fair elections, it is necessary to maintain law and order during polls. Along with the security he asked poll officials to check all the EVMs and minimize last moment technical glitches.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/lok-sabha-elections-2014/news/Deploy-central-police-dont-keep-them-as-reserve-EC/articleshow/33467213.cms

Ex-gratia for employees for fatal incidents: Election Commission

With engagement of about 4.5 lakh government employees in the twin elections in Odisha, the Election Commission of India (ECI) today announced upto Rs 20 lakh ex-gratia for any fatal incident, official sources said.

"If any official dies following a Naxal attack or is killed by anti-social activities during the election duty, the family members of the person concerned will get Rs 20 lakh as ex-gratia," an official release by the Chief Electoral Officer Odisha said.

The commission has also declared that the officials engaged for election work will be provided an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh in case of any fatal incident.

The EC announcement came after a large number of government employees expressed their unwillingness to undertake electioneering activities in Naxal infested areas, which are going to polls on April 10 in the first phase.

The pollings are scheduled to be held in the Left Wing Extremism (LEW) hit districts of Koraput, Rayagada, Bolangir, Malkangiri, Nuapada Kalahandi, Senepur, Ganjam and Gajapati.

Most of these districts are bordering Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand and Chhattishgarh, sources said.

"The polling will be conducted in Maoist-hit areas under the tight security cover by engaging personnel of central para-military force," said Odisha DGP Prakash Mishra.

Source: http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-ex-gratia-for-employees-for-fatal-incidents-election-commission-1975349

EC surveillance team seizes Rs 10 lakh cash in Nalanda

The Election Commission's Static Surveillance team on Monday seized Rs 10 lakh from a person in Patna's Nalanda district. Additional Chief Electoral Officer R Lakshmanan told reporters that the person, who was riding a bike, was stopped and searched after which Rs 10 lakh was seized from him. The police and I-T personnel are interrogating him to gather details about the cash seized in Nalanda, he said.

Nalanda is the native district of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

This was the second big seizure of cash in the state after the city police intercepted a vehicle carrying currency notes worth Rs 25 lakh last week.

Meanwhile, CEO of Bihar, Ajay V Nayak called a high-level coordination meeting of the state Police, the CRPF, the CISF, the ITBP, the Sashatra Seema Bal (SSB) and the Railway Protection Force (RPF) to ensure smooth cooperation between them for peaceful conduct of polls. SSB DIG Deepak Kumar said, "We have increased patrolling on the Indo-Nepal border to check movement of Maoists, criminals, weapons and fake currency notes.It will be intensified as election dates come closer."

On the other hand, the Bihar excise department conducted 1,634 raids across the state and arrested 977 persons with illicit and unaccounted liquor allegedly to be used to influence voters. Rs 23.16 lakh has been collected in fines from them.

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Press Trust of India | 25-March 2014