After police checks, 700 ‘critical’ polling stations identified, to get amped security

This year, the number of Delhi’s polling stations will increase from 13,138 (in 2017) to 13,665. During the 2017 elections, 799 booths in the city were marked sensitive while 208 booths were marked “hypersensitive”

State Election Commission (SEC) and Delhi Police have identified around 700 critical polling stations that will require additional police protection, a senior SEC official said on Sunday.

On November 9, a joint meeting was called by SEC to review the overall election preparations with the commissioner of police Sanjay Arora, officials from the ministry of home affairs and Delhi chief secretary Naresh Kumar. Delhi Police are also expected to deploy nearly 45,000 of their own personnel during the elections. (AFP)

“Based on inputs received from Delhi Police and in accordance with Election Commission of India norms, around 700 polling locations have been identified as critical so far. We have also sent a requisition for 170 Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) companies for the smooth and orderly conduct of the upcoming elections,” the SEC official said.

Municipal elections are scheduled to be held in the Capital on December 4.

This year, the number of Delhi’s polling stations will increase from 13,138 (in 2017) to 13,665. During the 2017 elections, 799 booths in the city were marked sensitive while 208 booths were marked “hypersensitive”. An SEC official said that the vulnerability of booths is judged on various factors including topography, history of polling, cases of violence and population base. In the past elections, the sensitive polling booths list has included polling stations from areas like Okhla, Shaheen Bagh, Bawana, Narela, Trilokpuri, Babarpur and others.

Officials of SEC said the 170 CAPF companies will be deployed in two phases. “The first phase of deployment will start immediately after the nomination process. Police will carry out area domination marches and tap movement of illicit liquor, arms and money at interstate borders. Some quick response teams (QRTs) will also be formed,” the official said, adding that during the second phase, deployment will be carried out around strongrooms, polling stations, electronic voting machine (EVM) stores and as well as other critical locations.

On November 9, a joint meeting was called by SEC to review the overall election preparations with the commissioner of police Sanjay Arora, officials from the ministry of home affairs and Delhi chief secretary Naresh Kumar. Delhi Police are also expected to deploy nearly 45,000 of their own personnel during the elections.

A senior officer of Delhi Police said that a thorough assessment of polling stations and their possible locations and premises has already begun, considering the fact that these are the first major elections to be held in Delhi after the riots in February 2020.

“All deputy commissioners of police (DCPs) have been asked to provide minute details of sensitive and hypersensitive booths in their districts. On the basis of their reports, the headquarters will decide the proportion of deployment of forces in different localities,” he said, asking not to be named.

Officials said that sensitive and hypersensitive zones would be demarcated using previous records of violence and after consultations with SEC. “Some of these localities include Seemapuri in northeast Delhi’s Seelampur, Adarsh Nagar and Bharat Nagar in northwest Delhi, Karol Bagh, Patel Nagar and Chandni Mahal in central Delhi and Najafgarh, Mundka, Sultanpuri and Nangloi in outer Delhi. We have already started special patrolling in crowded markets such as Chandni Chowk and Paharganj, besides asking locals who are part of our ‘eyes-and-ears’ scheme for inputs,” he said.

He added that if needed, police personnel from other states may also be deployed to ensure fair polls. “Senior police officers will monitor all the polling stations from the control room at the police headquarters and conduct on-the-ground checks of arrangements. To avert any other mishap, personnel from the reserve battalions will be deployed in routine law-and-order duties,” he added.