Security tightened across B'luru

Ahead of the Assembly polls, the police have taken the help of the reserved police personnel from across the country to tighten the security in the city.

While the Bangalore City Police have deployed about 10,500 personnel in the city, personnel from 44 different organisations, including the Border Security Force (BSF), Central Armed Police Force (CRPF) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) have also been put on duty.

Speaking to media persons here on Monday, T Suneel Kumar, Commissioner of Police, said, "We have listed over 3,000 vulnerable polling booths and almost 1,200 critical booths in the city where this personnel will be deployed."

Over 100 will be pink booths, exclusively designed for women. These booths will be solely monitored by women personnel and only women voters can exercise their franchise there. The booths will have pink posters, too, he said.

Meanwhile, M Maheshwar Rao, BBMP chief and district election officer, said: "Special arrangements have been made for the physically challenged and specially abled people in the city to come out and vote. We have identified over 26,000 such people and will arrange vehicles from their residences to the polling booths, if needed."

A special candlelight vigil will be held in all the constituencies on May 9. "This is one of the moves to create awareness about the importance of polling," said Manoj Rajan, special commissioner, BBMP.