ECI calls crucial meeting with top officials to review law and order on borders ahead of LS polls

New Delhi [India], April 3 (ANI): The Election Commission of India (ECI) has called a crucial meeting on Wednesday with all the top officials of the states, union territories and central agencies to review the law and order situation on borders ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

“The ECI has called a crucial meeting today with all States, UTs top officials and central agencies guarding borders to review the law and order situation and vigilance on borders, in the ensuing General Elections to Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies 2024. State officials to join virtually,” said sources.

According to an official press note from the ECI, “The conduct of elections involves elaborate security management, which includes not just the security of polling personnel, polling stations and polling materials, but also the overall security of the election process.”

“Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) are deployed to supplement the local police force in ensuring a peaceful and conducive atmosphere for the smooth conduct of elections in a free, fair and credible manner,” it said.

As per the press note, “Based on the assessment of the ground situation, the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and State Armed Police (SAP) drawn from other States will be deployed during the election.”

“The CAPFs shall be deployed well in advance for area domination, route marches in vulnerable pockets, point patrolling and other confidence-building measures to re-assure and build faith in the minds of the voters, especially those belonging to the weaker sections, minorities etc,” it said.

As per the ECI press note, comprehensive instructions for effective monitoring of the election expenditure of the candidates have been issued, which include the deployment of expenditure observers, assistant expenditure observers, the formation of flying squads (FSs), static surveillance teams (SSTs), video surveillance teams (VSTs), video viewing teams (VVTs), and accounting teams (ATs), among others.

The State Excise Department has been asked to monitor the production, distribution, sale and storage of liquor and inducements in the form of free goods during the election process. The functioning and operations of the FSs/SST shall be closely monitored using GPRS tracking.