Police unveil security plans for polls day

Rafik JALALDEEN

COLOMBO: Police special mobile teams will be deployed to visit each polling booth every 30 minutes and the IGP had given orders to take stern action against those violating the law during the election.

Police said around 21,000 policemen had been deployed to maintain law and order tomorrow in the North Central and Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council election.

“Starting today until August 25, around 21,000 policemen and policewomen will be deployed to maintain law and order for Provincial Council elections in the North Central and Sabaragamuwa Provinces,” Police spokesman SSP Ranjith Gunasekera told the Daily News. He said police will be on high alert to avoid any election violence at the polling booths and counting centers. SSP Gunasekera pointed out that police personnel deployed to perform election duties will wear different badges for different tasks. Elaborating on the deployment of police personnel for the election duties and their tasks, SSP Gunasekera said police mobile patrols will be on duty at each polling booth and counting center.

They will also man road blocks and will be deployed for guard duty.”

A main riot squad will be on duty at each SSP office in the Anuradhapura, Polannaruwa, Kegalle and Ratnapura districts.

We will also deploy riot squads, equipped with water cannons to meet any contingency, he added.

There will be extra Police on standby to meet any emergency.

A mini riot squad will be on alert round the clock at each police station. SSP Gunasekera said a special police team will be on duty at vulnerable locations where violence has been reported.

He asserted that police mobile teams will visit each polling booth every 30 minutes. Therefore, the polling booths won’t be isolated.

Some other police units had been set up in the North Central and Sabaragamuwa Provinces to any counter election violence. “A civil special intelligence unit, search operation unit, special attacking unit, welfare unit to serve the police engaged in election duties, post election violence. A monitoring unit and parameter guarding unit will be stationed out side each of the counting centers”, SSP Gunasekera said.

A Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) will be in charge of all polling centres. “Four major operational rooms will be opened in both Provinces and all information related to election violence reported will be passed on to Colombo immediately. Only authorised persons will have access to the polling booths and counting centers”, he told the Daily News.

“Stern action will be taken against violators of the law on polling day.” the SSP added.

He also requested voters to take the National ID when they go to cast their votes.