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Security beefed up ahead of Arunachal rural, civic polls

By Correspondent

ITANAGAR, Dec 19 - The Arunachal Pradesh Police (APP) has made elaborate security arrangements for the ensuing local body elections in the State, to be held simultaneously in a single phase on December 22.

Briefing media persons about the security arrangements being made for the panchayat and municipal elections, IGP (Law and Order) Chukhu Apa stated that 7,517 State Police personnel, including those from the civil police, IRBn and APPBn, and nine companies of the CRPF (comprising around 700 personnel) will be deployed in 1,496 polling stations spread across the State to ensure free, fair and peaceful polls.

Out of 1,496 polling stations, 536 have been identified as sensitive and 258 as hypersensitive, the IGP said, adding that two personnel would be deployed for normal polling stations, three for sensitive and four for hypertensive booths.

The IGP appealed to the citizens to maintain peace and participate in the elections. �Our main job in the ensuing elections is to ensure that the voters exercise their franchise without fear or coercion from any quarters, and law and order is maintained at all the places before, during and after the elections,� he said.

When asked whether any arrangements have been made for the police personnel on election duty, he said, �We are asking for postal ballot for cops on poll duty.�

Itanagar Capital Region SP Jimmy Chiram, who was also present during the press briefing, stated that since the Model Code of Conduct came into effect, the city police has seized more than 400 litres of liquor, 177 daos (machetes) and a few arms, besides baseball sticks and weapon-like items.

He added that out of 67 polling stations under the jurisdiction of the capital police, 47 fall under the Itanagar Municipal Corporation, 19 come under three Zilla Parishad constituencies � Batt Ganga, Banderdewa and Borum � and one under Lower Balijan.

Of the 67 polling booths, 22 have been identified as normal, 30 as sensitive and 15 as hypersensitive, and security forces will be deployed accordingly, the SP said.

The polling day will be a holiday, the SP said, adding that the inter-State border would be sealed.

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