Odisha Chief Secretary Deliberates Election Security Measures with Senior Officials

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena chaired a significant meeting on Monday regarding the strategic deployment of the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) and State Armed Police Force (SAPF) for the upcoming twin elections in Odisha.

The meeting saw the presence of key officials including Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Nikunja Bihari Dhal, Additional CEO N Thirumala Nayak, DGP Arun Kumar Sarangi, Additional Chief Secretary of the Home Department Deoranjan Kumar Singh, and several senior officers from the police department.

The primary agenda of the meeting was to devise comprehensive law and order measures for the four-phase Lok Sabha and Assembly elections commencing on May 13. Discussions revolved around the meticulous deployment of police personnel, both from CAPF and SAPF, tailored to the sensitivity levels of individual polling booths across the state. Ensuring seamless maintenance of law and order during the electoral process emerged as a paramount concern.

In addition to security measures during the electoral process, deliberations were also held on the procedures for Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) commissioning and fortification of strong rooms where the EVMs will be securely stored post-polling. The meeting underscored the importance of stringent security protocols to safeguard the integrity of the electoral process.