Odisha DGP Reassures Preparedness for Free and Fair Elections

Bhubaneswar: As the stage is set for the second phase of the simultaneous elections in Odisha, DGP Arun Kumar Sarangi on Sunday reassured the preparedness of the State Police for a free and fair electoral process.

Addressing a press conference, the top cop said that elaborate security arrangements have been made to ensure smooth, impartial, free, and fair elections in the State.

The DGP informed that 33,000 police personnel and 102 companies of central forces will be deployed for the second phase polls to be held tomorrow in 11 districts encompassing five Lok Sabha seats – Bargarh, Sundargarh, Bolangir, Kandhamal and Aska – and 35 Assembly constituencies coming under these Parliamentary segments.

“We have introduced the mobile parties. For each 10-12 booth location, there will be one mobile party. So, there will be 655 mobile parties during the elections. There are 48 interstate borders with the interstate border check posts”, Sarangi said.

As many as 257 flying squad teams and 251 static surveillance teams have been formed. The EVM strong rooms are at 18 locations. The inner security of the strong room is provided by the CAPF, and outer security by the state police, the DGP added.

Special security arrangements have been made at the polling booths in the naxal-affected areas, the DGP further stated.

Several quick reaction teams and swift action force of Odisha police have been placed in the sensitive areas to check any untoward incident.

“We have made adequate security arrangements in the five Maoist affected districts — Kandhamal, Boudh, Bolangir, Bargarh, Rourkela. A Maoist group from Chhattisgarh has been camping in Kandhamal and Boudh districts in central Odisha for the past one year. Recently, two Maoists were killed in an exchange of fire in the Boudh area a few days back. Earlier, another divisional commander of Maoist group had been neutralised. We have intensified anti-Maoist operations in these areas for the last four months,” said Sarangi.

He also said that as many as 117 operational parties of CAPF and 38 units of Special Operation Group and District Voluntary Forces are in action in the Maoist-affected areas for the fifth phase of polling.

The DGP requested the voters to come out in large numbers. It is a great festival of democracy and cast their vote, he added.