DGP calls for peaceful, transparent, impartial conduct of local body polls

Andhra Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) Harish Kumar Gupta has directed police officials to complete all necessary preparations before the notification for local body elections is issued, stressing the need to ensure peaceful, transparent and impartial conduct of the polls.

A regional preparedness meeting for the general municipal elections was held at the Guntur police conference hall on Tuesday. The ADGP (Law and Order) N. Madhusudhana Reddy, Guntur Range IGP Sarvashresta Tripathi, DIG Fakkeerappa Kaginelli and other senior police officials participated.

The DGP reviewed election-related arrangements in Guntur, Palnadu, Bapatla, Prakasam, Markapuram and Nellore districts, including the number of mandals, gram panchayats, ZPTCs, MPTCs and municipalities. He said officials should complete preparations in advance as the election process would be completed within a short period after notification.

Mr. Gupta directed officials to identify sensitive and hyper-sensitive villages and polling stations based on previous election-related incidents and initiate preventive action against trouble-makers, rowdy-sheeters and suspects. He ordered intensified checks against illicit liquor, cash distribution and illegal transportation, besides reviewing cases registered in faction-prone villages during 2021 and 2024.

He called for proper categorisation of polling stations and deployment of security according to their vulnerability. Route mobiles, mobile parties and striking forces should be kept ready, while ballot boxes should be transported under tight security. Strong rooms and counting centres should also receive adequate protection, he said.

IGP Tripathi, meanwhile, stressed the need to identify areas prone to clashes, conduct cordon searches in villages to detect illegal weapons and monitor persons involved in disturbances and provocative social media activity. He said trouble-makers should be bound over and property attachment measures taken wherever warranted.

Officials were also instructed to closely monitor social media for fake news, rumours and inflammatory content and immediately clarify misinformation. Coordination with returning officers, revenue and municipal officials was also emphasised.

Guntur SP Vakul Jindal briefed the DGP on the situation in the district and said measures were being taken to ensure a peaceful atmosphere and instil confidence among voters. Senior police officials from six districts attended the meeting.