Shillong, Feb 19: A total of 129 polling stations have been identified as vulnerable and critical in areas under the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) and 95 in the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) even as Commissioner & Secretary in-charge District Council Affairs (DCA) Cyril Diengdoh has assured adequate deployment of security forces is in place to ensure a free, fair and smooth elections to be held on February 21.
Speaking to reporters, Diengdoh said, ”All arrangements are in place. We have had multiple review meetings with the deputy commissioners, who are responsible to conduct the elections. The security plans are in place. The deputy commissioners have identified the vulnerable and sensitive polling stations for which additional security forces are being deployed in consultation with the SPs.”
He informed that 129 of 1669 polling stations in the KHADC are identified vulnerable or critical while 95 of 477 polling stations in JHADC.
“The police are confident as they have requisitioned enough security police personnel including home guards so there is no report of shortage. They have made an assessment of vulnerable and critical polling stations and there they will deployed more manpower,” he said while adding “Security forces have been requisitioned from various parts of the state and since the polls are happening in the Eastern Range so quite a few security forces have also been taken from the Garo Hills region, which is the western range of the state. So that arrangement has been made.”
Further, Diengdoh informed the chief secretary had also chaired a review with the Deputy Commissioners.
“And the CS also inspected one of the important centres in Shillong which is at the ISBT, Mawiong from where the dispatch of polling parties and materials and also for counting, which will happen on February 24,” he said.
Asked, Diengdoh said, “The DCs are confident. They have deployed sector magistrates, sector officers including sector police officers. Everything is in place and we are confident in having free, fair and smooth elections.”
On the recent tension along the border of Meghalaya’s West Jaiñtia Hills and Assam’s West Karbi Anglong District, the commissioner & secretary said, “The deputy commissioners are in constant touch with their counterparts the DCs in Assam to ensure smooth movement of all polling parties. As is the case from the government side, the chief secretary had written to the chief secretary, Assam to ensure smooth movement of polling parties as some polling parties have to move through Assam, which is done even during the Lok Sabha and MLA elections. This is the usual practice as the same drill is being followed so we don’t foresee any problem.”
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