In view of polls, Delhi turns into fortress; 61,000 police personnel deployed

New Delhi: The Delhi Police has made elaborate arrangements for handling general elections in the National Capital. Delhi will go to polls in the sixth phase of elections on Sunday.

Briefing media Delhi Police PRO Madhur Verma has said that of the total 13,819 polling booths in Delhi, 450 have been designated "sensitive" while 16 "extra-sensitive". To handle the situation at the polling stations, almost 61,000 police personnel have been deployed along with 47 companies of para-military forces. Moreover, 13000 Homeguards have also been called in from states like Rajasthan and Uttarakhand apart from Delhi Homeguards.

May 12 has also been declared Dry day by Delhi Police and no sale of liquor would be permitted. The Delhi Police has ensured that all liquor shops remain closed till the voting ends. Cops have also talked to UP police to ensure closer of liquor shops near bordering areas of Delhi-UP.

Apart from this routine preparedness for ensuring smooth voting, the Delhi police has also strategically deployed police personnel from an anti-terrorism point of view.

According to the police, special checking of vehicles would be underway on Saturday night to apprehend articles such as liquor and money that could be used to unduly influence the elections.

According to the police, they have apprehended 1.41 lakh litre of illegal liquor since the promulgation of the Model Coe of Conduct (MCC) on March 10. This values around 3 crore 83 lakhs. It has also seized drugs worth Rs 373 crore.

As part of its search and seizure, the police have also apprehended 694 illegal arms, including 3026 cartridges.

The Delhi police also booked 10,000 persons for public drinking under the Excise Act, while arresting 4,000 such persons who were carrying non-bailable warrants on their heads. In all, 201 cases were registered for violation of MCC. As a part of preventive policing, Delhi Police has also confiscated 5,026 licenced weapons.

A total of 18 FIRs have been registered against Aam Admi Party for violation of Model Code of Conduct as against 15 against BJP and 4 against Congress. A total of 201 First Information reports has been registered against various parties and independent candidates for violation of Model Code of conduct.