Security Officers Trained Ahead of Polls

JAMMU: Officers of enforcement agencies, including police, Army and BSF, were imparted training by the Jammu and Kashmir Election Office here to strengthen the election expenditure monitoring mechanism and ensure peaceful conduct of upcoming Lok Sabha polls in the Union Territory, an official said on Tuesday.

The comprehensive one-day training programme was inaugurated by Chief Electoral Officer, J-K Pandurang K Pole who called for better coordination and enhanced surveillance before and during the elections.

The programme, conducted on Monday, was attended by officers of enforcement agencies including the Police, Army, and BSF, the official said, adding that the officers presented a brief overview of the major actions undertaken by their departments in the past two general elections with a roadmap of action for Lok Sabha elections likely to be held in April-May.

The official said participants were briefed about all the important aspects of expenditure management and were asked to bolster surveillance by establishing control rooms at the district level for roundthe-clock scrutiny and effective monitoring.

The chief electoral officer called for better coordination among the agencies for ensuring free and inducement-free elections.

Specifically targeting potential threats, Pole tasked the BSF and other intelligence agencies with combating narcotics smuggling along the international border and thwarting the circulation of counterfeit currency.

Additionally, a call to action was extended to curtail illicit financial activities, including hawala transactions, the official said.

He said the excise department was tasked with enforcing stringent regulations on liquor stocking and distribution, with a mandate to eradicate illicit alcohol production.

Concurrently, directions were also issued to extend vigilance to prevent the misuse of cash transportation before and during the election period, the official said.

Pole apprised the officers of various election-related aspects, highlighting the need for better vigilance and enhanced surveillance for peaceful and incident-free elections.