LUCKNOW: Around 15,000 central armed paramilitary forces would be deployed in Uttar Pradesh from January 20 and an additional contingent of 10,000 personnel from state police will be mobilised during phase-wise polling from early next month.
Also, UP police identified 29,138 polling stations as critical, 95 assembly constituencies as sensitive and 33 seats were tagged ‘expenditure sensitive’, where extra police teams will be deployed to curb corrupt practices.
Additional director general of police, law and order, Prashant Kumar, said special steps have been taken to conduct elections in Naxal-affected districts of Chandauli, Mirzapur and Sonbhadra. And to stop jailed criminals from influencing polls, 271 additional jammers and 2,676 CCTVs have been installed in prisons.
At least 275 incarcerated criminals who can influence polls are under vigil. “We have also identified as many as 16,237 troublemakers against whom preventive action has been taken by respective police stations,” the officer said.
Elaborating on police preparedness, the officer said, for the first-time special arrangements have been made in 14 assembly constituencies sharing boundary with Nepal.
And this includes installation of CCTV cameras at entry-exit points, additional force deployment and barricading of 107 points.
‘UP police initiates communication with 456 far-flung polling stations’
Multiple rounds of talks have been held with Nepal Police to nab three international criminals and 335 others active on inter-state borders are being tracked down.
UP police has also initiated seamless communication with 456 far-flung poll- ing stations straddling11 districts by installing radio transmission sets and satellite phones. Similarly, boats have been deployed and pontoon bridges constructed in 31polling stations.
UP police will also be deploying 109 drones, 168 river boats, 420 portable CCTV cameras and 563 still cameras.
