The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer of the state has informed that the police system is ready and various measures have been taken by the Maharashtra Police to ensure that voting is conducted in a free, fair and peaceful environment for this election. Maharashtra Police have taken 96,448 preventive actions prior to the elections.
As Maharashtra is set to go for polling on November 20 for the state assembly elections, the chief electoral officer has expressed preparedness for the elections. Along with the election commission, the state police have also taken several measures to ensure law and order in the state.
Prior to the elections, inter-state coordination meetings were held with neighbouring states as well as union territories at the level of police station officer-in-charge to the Director General of Police regarding inter-state coordination, exchange of information related to crimes and criminals. At the same time, various measures have been taken to restrict the movement of illegal cash, liquor, illegal firearms, narcotics, items used to entice voters, bogus voters by deploying manpower at inter-state check posts for the general assembly elections, said the Maharashtra CEO.
The chief electoral officer stated that 96,448 preventive actions have been taken under Bharatiya Nagrik Surkasha Sanhita. Moreover, 5,727 action have been taken under Section 93 of the Maharashtra Liquor Act, 1 case under narcotics act, 104 orders of preventive arrest under Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities Act, 1981 and 1,343 arrest warrants have been issued under Maharashtra Police Act.
Execution of non-bailable warrants, arrest of fugitives and wanted accused, seizure of illegal firearms, illegal liquor, cash, narcotics, freebies, special operations have been carried out by the police. The number of licensed firearms collected is 56,631 and 28,566 non-bailable warrants were executed. Additionally, 396 illegal firearms and 1,856 sharp weapons have been seized.
The seizure by Maharashtra Police included Rs74.89 crore cash, 42.31 lakh litres of liquor worth Rs36.07 crore, 14,224 kg of narcotics worth Rs29.36 crore, 16,254 kg of precious metals worth Rs202.62 crore, freebies worth Rs 65.97 crore and other goods worth Rs408.91 crore till November 17 has been confiscated.
The CEO also added that Central Armed Police Force, Special Armed Police and State Reserve Police Force comp.es have been made available in sufficient quantity for settlement during the election period. Adequate number of police officers and home guards have also been deployed for the election process.
Maharashtra Police is taking all measures to conduct free, fair and peaceful assembly elections, including wide usage of drones for VIP deployment as well as law and order related work.
