Stage set for polling under tight security in Telangana

The stage is set for a single-phase polling in Telangana on Friday. The fate of 1,821 candidates contesting in 119 Assembly segments across the state will be decided on Friday.

In all 55,329 EVMs, 39,763 Control units and 42,751 VVPATs were on the way to reach the polling stations. On Friday, 2,80,64,684 voters are expected to exercise their franchise. While Bhadradri has the lowest (1,37,319 ) number of voters, Serilingampally here has the maximum number (5,75,541) of voters.

According to Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Rajat Kumar, 446 flying squads were in operation across the state that can swing into action in case of a complaint against irregularities. These are in addition to the 448 static surveillance teams. In all 224 video surveillance teams and 133 video viewing teams and 123 accounting teams are already in operation.

Boycott call

Despite the poll boycott call given by the Left Wing Extremists in the border areas of Chhattisgarh, the police have geared up for the peaceful conduct of the elections. Combing operations and dominance exercises were conducted with the help of Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra Police, according to Additional DGP Jitender. More than 90,000 people with a criminal record have been bound over. In other parts, 8,481 people have deposited their licenced firearms with the police. As many as 39 licenses have been cancelled and 11 unlicensed weapons were seized.

Additional forces deployed

The police authorities say that sufficient forces were drawn from the Centre and states, and were deployed as per EC directions. Apart from central forces, Railway protection force and police from Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Chhattisgarh have been pressed into service. The additional forces were mostly deployed in places that are categorised as critical, for instance, Kodangal. In all 4,000 locations are considered critical.

In Hyderabad city, according to police commissioner Anjani Kumar, 18,000 security forces were deployed that include 14,645 from its own force and 22 companies of central forces.

The city police have so far seized Rs 27.03 crore in cash and gold ornaments worth Rs 2.41 crore. The police will be guarding the city with the help of 518 check posts and 3,300 ultrahigh-frequency wireless sets will be used for communication.

Section 144 clamped

A section 144 CrPC has been imposed around 200 meters of radius each polling stations in the city on Friday. Hyderabad Police in a statement here said that assembly of five or more people is prohibited on Friday to maintain public order. The order will remain in force from 6 am to 8 pm and any violation will be liable for prosecution.