Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Pandurang K Pole spearheaded a comprehensive security assessment today in preparation for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir, featuring five Parliamentary constituencies.
During a convened meeting of Nodal Officers representing various security agencies and departments, CEO Pole emphasized the paramount importance of election preparedness, urging officers to enhance collaborative efforts.
Pole issued directives to key security stakeholders, including the police, army, and Border Security Force (BSF), urging heightened vigilance around critical infrastructures such as airports and railway stations.
Highlighting the need to combat drug smuggling along the international border and curtail the circulation of counterfeit currency, the CEO tasked the BSF and other intelligence agencies with intensified surveillance and interdiction efforts.
Efforts to curb illicit financial activities, including hawala transactions, were also underscored, with the IT department directed to closely monitor pawnbrokers suspected of facilitating illicit cash flows during the electoral process.
Stringent monitoring protocols were outlined, encompassing scrutiny of cash transactions exceeding Rs one lakh and gold holdings surpassing one kilogram. Banking authorities were urged to remain vigilant for suspicious transaction patterns, including large cash withdrawals or staggered disbursements.
Furthermore, the Excise Department was entrusted with enforcing stringent regulations on liquor procurement and distribution to thwart illicit alcohol production. Heightened vigilance measures were also implemented to prevent misuse of cash transportation facilities by political entities.
To bolster oversight and surveillance, plans were devised to establish District Election Control Rooms across all districts well in advance of the election announcement. These control rooms, operational round-the-clock, will serve as conduits for reporting any suspicious activities to the central control room under the CEO's purview.
In a comprehensive review, officials presented updates on past election activities and outlined a roadmap for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in 2024. Participants were briefed on expenditure management and instructed to establish district-level control rooms for continuous oversight and monitoring.
Chief Electoral Officer P K Pole stressed the need for heightened vigilance and surveillance to ensure the smooth conduct of elections without incident.
Meanwhile, in a concurrent development, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Jammu and Kashmir geared up for a crucial meeting aimed at finalising election candidates for the upcoming polls.
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