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Items worth ₹2 crore seized since poll code implemented in Ludhiana
Sawhney said that since the imposition of the poll code, 9,360 hoardings, banners, posters, including 5,376 from public and 3,984 from private properties were removed in the district
The district administration has seized cash, drugs, liquor, and precious metals worth ₹2 crore since the imposition of the model code of conduct (MCC) on March 16.
The seizures by surveillance teams include currency worth ₹40.25 lakh, drugs worth ₹1.48 crore, liquor worth ₹18.14 lakh, and other items.
District election officer-cum-deputy commissioner Sakshi Sawhney accompanied by SSP, Khanna, Amneet Kondal, SSP, Ludhiana (Rural), Navneet Singh Bains said that a total of 126 flying squad teams comprising a magistrate, cops were constituted in the district.
The teams were given vehicles mounted with cameras ensuring real-time feed to the control room and keeping close vigil in the field. She said that since the imposition of the poll code, 9,360 hoardings, banners, posters, including 5,376 from public and 3,984 from private properties were removed in the district.
The district election officer also said that 94% of complaints received by the administration manually, on NGSP portal, and C-vigil had already been resolved. She stated that directions had been issued to all arms licence holders in the district to deposit their licenced weapons and ammunition at the nearest police station by March 31. Anyone wanting to seek exemption due to compelling reasons should apply to the screening committee for review of the decision with grounds for the case. Any such representation will be decided by the screening committee immediately, preferably within 24 hours. Non-compliance with this order would lead to prosecution.
She also said that the district administration would also keep a close vigil over paid news and advertisement content in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls as per the guidelines of the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Expressing her commitment to ensuring transparent, free, and fair elections in Ludhiana, the district election officer said that holding elections peacefully and transparently is the top priority of the administration, and every effort would be made to accomplish this gigantic task without any hindrance.
Elaborate security arrangements for 381 polling stations with vulnerable pockets
DEO Sawhney, SSP Kondal and SSP Bains on Friday said that the administration would make elaborate security arrangements for 381 polling stations with vulnerable pockets in the district.
Presiding over a meeting to review the arrangements here at the Bachat Bhawan, the officials said that the administration had completed the vulnerability mapping of the district as per which 381 out of 2,919 polling stations have been identified with vulnerable pockets. They said that special care would be taken to man the vulnerable polling stations across the district.
The officers stated that special care would be taken to ensure that vulnerable polling stations across the district have adequate security cover-up to guarantee free and transparent polls. Punjab Police, along with the para-military force, would be deployed to cover these booths. To ensure fair and transparent polls, webcasting would be ensured in all polling stations on the directions of the election commission.
Submit report of bookings daily: DEO to hotel owners
Sawhney on Friday directed the owners of hotels and marriage palaces to submit the report of their bookings daily to the election office.
Presiding over a meeting with owners of hotels and marriage palaces here in Bachat Bhawan, Sawhney accompanied by additional deputy commissioner Anmol Singh Dhaliwal, assistant commissioner Krishna Pal Rajpoot, said that in view of the Lok Sabha Polls, model code of conduct has been implemented in the district.
She said that during the poll code, the district administration would keep a strict vigil over the bookings of hotels and marriage palaces to keep a tab over political activities.
Sawhney said that all the marriage palaces and hotels had to furnish information pertaining to their bookings to the administration. She said that every transaction for any political function must be brought on record and payment of such functions must be mandatorily taken through cheques. She also said that the administration must be informed earlier about these functions and permissions must be sought on such occasions.
In another meeting, the DEO also said that the district administration would monitor CCTV footage of liquor warehouses on a daily basis to prevent the use of alcohol to influence voters in the run up to the Lok Sabha polls. No liquor should be released without a proper licence or permit from the warehouse. She also warned the liquor shops against selling alcohol based on coupons or tokens. The daily record of English and country-made liquor and beer must be submitted with the election office.
