2,837 polling stations declared most sensitive, 3,940 sensitive in KP

PESHAWAR: As many as 2,837 polling stations have been declared most sensitive, 3,940 sensitive and 4,078 normal for the local government polls scheduled to be held on May 30.
To ensure security during the election campaign, it has been made mandatory for all the candidates to seek permission from the district administration and district police before holding any public meeting so that appropriate security arrangements can be made.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Nasir Khan Durrani has directed all the regional and district police officers to ensure that the public meetings are preferably held in walled compounds and those entering the premises were properly frisked, police guards deployed and the place swept by bomb disposal squad and canine units.
For the personal security of the candidates, the district police officers have been directed to facilitate them in getting the retainer permits for their security guards from the district administration after verification of the guards nominated by the candidates.
A number of attacks were carried out on rallies, public meetings and candidates during the general election in May 2011. The cops have been directed to stay alert to control the situation.
The field formations have also been directed by the IGP to augment the security arrangements for the sensitive and vulnerable establishments including Election Commission offices, offices of the returning officers, district jail and police establishments, during the election days.
It has been decided that there shall be a ban on display of weapons/arms, wall chalking of objectionable material and speeches inciting violence. The force has been directed to enhance intelligence gathering and keeping a close liaison with allied intelligence agencies for having a close watch on potential law and order situations, security threats and any tension between contesting candidates for diffusing the same through preventive action.
The police officers and officials have been directed to remain neutral during the entire election process.
The district police officers have been directed to ensure that no police officer or official is allowed to canvass in support of or against any candidate and that no police officer is deployed at the polling stations where he has a close association with any political party or candidate.
The IGP directed the district police officers to arrange police station-level meetings of all candidates with the concerned returning officer, sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) and Election Commission staff for briefing the candidates on prescribed code of conduct, overall security situation and prescribed guidelines/SOPs for the security of candidates and campaign activities, imposition under Section-144 Criminal Procedure Code, resolving any outstanding local issues and enquiring about the complaints, if any, regarding the partisan behaviour of any police official.
The district police officers have been directed to conduct meetings at the district level with candidates contesting the elections.
With regards to the security of polling stations and coordination amongst various departments on the election day, it has been directed that the SDPOs should visit each and every polling station personally and prepare a separate deployment plan for each polling station keeping in view its vulnerability and distance from the police station.
The RPOs and DPOs have also been directed to establish dedicated control rooms at the region, district and police station level to ensure improved coordination amongst the departments involved in the election process.
The said control rooms would have the contact details of the relevant presiding officer, police guard commander, QRF commander, the SHO and other administrative staff.