Srinagar: Security forces on Saturday conducted flag marches across the Kashmir Valley to instill a sense of confidence among the voters ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
The officials said the flag marches were conducted by the district police and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) across the valley.
“Given upcoming Parliamentary Elections-2024, police along with CAPF today carried out Flag Marches in various districts including Ganderbal, Baramulla, Pulwama, Kulgam, Sopore, Shopian, Bandipora and Budgam. These Flag Marches were carried out to instill a sense of security and harmony in society and to ensure free, fair, and fear-free elections,” police said.
Police noted that the objective of these flag marches was to instill confidence in the voters of a secure and harmonious environment, thereby enabling them to participate in the electoral process without any fear. “These measures underscore the motto of ‘Free and fair elections, enabling every citizen to exercise their democratic right to vote freely and without constraint,” police said.
The senior officers of the police and CAPFs, and jawans took part in the flag marches, they said.
There are three Lok Sabha seats in Kashmir — Anantnag-Rajouri, Srinagar and Baramulla.
While Anantnag-Rajouri goes to polls in the third phase on May 7, polling in Srinagar will be held in phase four on May 13 and Baramulla in phase five on May 20.
Earlier on March 28, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) for Law & Order Vijay Kumar assured a secure and fair electoral environment for all stakeholders.
Kumar, who is also a State Police Nodal officer (SPNO) for the parliament election 2024, was chairing a crucial high-level meeting at the Police Control Room (PCR) to assess and enhance the preparedness for the electoral process.
The meeting focused on various aspects crucial for ensuring the smooth conduct of elections in Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting was virtually attended by ADGP Jammu along with the IG CRPF Jammu & other senior officers of BSF/CRPF/SSB and physically attended by IG CRPF SOS Ajay Yadav, IG BSF Ashok Yadav, IG CRPF KOS G Verma, IGP Kashmir Zone V k Birdi, DIG CKR Srinagar, DIG SKR Anantnag, DIG SSB Kashmir, DIG CRPF North Srinagar, SSP PCR Kashmir, Staff Officer to IGP Kashmir and other officers.
Key discussions during the meeting revolved around bolstering security arrangements, particularly emphasizing on-site security measures and conducting smooth polls. Plans for preparing safe routes for the movement of electoral personnel and facilitating the security personnel deployed for election duties were meticulously deliberated to ensure their safety and efficiency throughout the electoral process.
Furthermore, the meeting emphasized the paramount importance of securing the strong room where the ballots will be stored, highlighting the need for robust measures to safeguard the integrity of the electoral process. Special measures for Critical polling locations were identified and strategies were devised to ensure heightened security measures at these key sites to deal with any potential threats and maintain the sanctity of the electoral process.
IGP Kashmir briefed the chair about the existing security plans, following which ADGP L&O underscored the need to revisit and reinforce the security arrangements. Special attention was given to the deployment of manpower in a calculated manner, ensuring strategic positioning to effectively monitor and respond to any potential threats or vulnerabilities.
ADGP L&O stressed the commitment of law enforcement agencies to uphold the principles of democracy by ensuring a secure and fair electoral environment for all stakeholders involved. The meeting concluded with a directive to continuously monitor and assess the evolving security situation, with a focus on pre-emptive measures to mitigate any risks that may arise during the electoral process.
