Bhubaneswar: In the wake of a series of violent incidents during the first phase of Panchayat polls on Wednesday, the State Election Commission convened a meeting of Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra, DG Police Sunil Kumar Bansal and other senior officials.
Following the high-level meeting, DGP Bansal spoke to journalists and said that strict action will be taken against the perpetrators of violence witnessed on Wednesday. “We will ensure that the remaining four phases of Panchayat polls are barred from any form of untoward incidents. We have taken steps to arrest people involved in violence which took place in some parts of the State yesterday,” said Bansal.
The DGP added that ‘the first phase of election was largely peaceful barring a few incidents of violence’. “The elections will be free and fair and we will ensure that strict action is taken against anyone involved in disrupting the polls.”
The Second phase of 3-tier PRI Elections – 2022 in the State will be held on 18 February 2022 and people of different districts will cast their votes. State Police have made adequate security arrangements for free and fair elections, said Bansal.
“Total 240 platoons force, 1753 mobile patrolling parties along with district Police Officers/ Men have been deployed all over the state for smooth conduct of the second phase of elections. As many as 20,435 booths will go for poll during this phase of elections. The election will be conducted with strict enforcement of State Election Commission guidelines and Covid protocols,” the DGP added.
According to the State Police Headquarters, the police have arrested 16 persons in Puri district, 14 in Jajpur and 6 in Dhenkanal district in connection with poll disruption incidents during the first phase. Police have seized 387177 Litres Liquor, 38 illigal arms, 2216.56 gms of narcotic drugs, registered 4966 nos of excise cases and executed 1903 no of pending warrants during the election process so far.
