In order to ensure a smooth, transparent and safe conduct of the Local Bodies Election 2015 scheduled to be held across the province on May 30, 2015, the IGP KP Nasir Khan Durrani has issued a comprehensive set of instructions to all the field formations including the District and Regional units as well as the Special Branch.
According to details, the polling process will be carried out at 10,855 different polling stations across the province. Based on their geographical location, vulnerability, previous history of the area and tensions amongst the candidates / population, the polling stations have been further sub-divided into three different categories of normal, sensitive and most sensitive. 4,078 polling stations have been categorised as normal, 3,940 polling stations have been categorised as sensitive and 2,837 candidates have been categorised as most sensitive. With the issuance of these instructions it has been made mandatory for all the contesting candidates to seek permission from the District Administration and District Police before holding any public meeting so that appropriate security arrangements can be made. The field formations have been directed to ensure that the public meetings are preferably held in walled compounds with proper provision of body search, elevated deployment of police guards and sweeping 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.
The field formations have also been directed 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 etc during the election days. It has further been decided that there shall be a ban on display of weapons/arms, wall chalking of objectionable material and speeches inciting violence.
The field units have been directed to enhance their intelligence gathering and keeping a close liaison with allied intelligence agencies for having a close watch on potential law & 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. In this regard, the District Police Officers have been directed to ensure that no police officer/official is allowed to canvas in support of or against any candidate and that no police officer is deployed or detailed on polling stations where he has a close association with any political party or candidate. The field commanders have been directed that any complaint in this regard should be taken seriously and punitive action shall be taken against police officials found violating these directions.
The District Police Officers have been directed to arrange police station wise meetings of all contesting candidates with the concerned Returning 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 CrPC; resolving any outstanding local issues and enquiring about the complaints, if any, regarding the partisan behaviour of any police official.
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