MARGAO
The district control room has started functioning from Wednesday with a dedicated telephone number 2794100.
Addressing the media in the presence of district superintendent of police (south) Shekhar Prabhudesai and additional collector, south, Johnson Fernandes, district collector Swapnil Naik said the district election machinery is all geared up to conduct the polls. “We had put the machinery in place well before the code of conduct came into force from today. Our teams went to the constituencies to remove the banners while hoardings will be removed within the 72-hour deadline,” he said.
Swapnil pointed out that the district election office has constituted as many as 42 flying squads, two squads in each of the 21 constituencies falling in South Goa jurisdiction. “The flying squad will work round the clock and will attend to any complaint. It has the powers to seize and confiscate material in cases of violation of the code,” he said.
Similarly, he said the election office has constituted static surveillance teams at the entry points to the district and at the airport, besides road junctions.
The district collector said around 4240 staff will be deployed in the 848 polling stations in South Goa, including the polling stations in Ponda taluka. “A total of 14 returning officers will be appointed to conduct election for the 21 constituencies in South Goa,” he added.
Meanwhile, the district police chief Prabhudesai said that 53 companies of police will be deployed in South Goa district for the smooth conduct of the election. He appealed to arms license holders to deposit their arms at the police stations before the deadline and avoid punishment.
Out of the total of 1998 arms, around 1305 weapons have been deposited with the police so far, he said, while saying that the
sensitive and hyper-sensitive polling stations will be notified after the last date of
withdrawal.
