Call of duty: City police to work extra hours to ensure peaceful elections

With the final announcement of the assembly elections dates for Delhi, the city police has tightened its belt to ensure smooth functioning of the poll process.

The city police has geared up to ensure free, fair and peaceful elections in the national capital. To being with, a change in the duty timings for all police officers will be brought into force from Saturday. The move aims to maximise police patrolling during the entire process.

A police officer posted in south Delhi said, ‘Soon after the announcement of the poll schedule, the department of Delhi police that falls under Union home ministry gets bound by the Election Commission’s code of conduct.’

Sources informed that all 181 police stations, including metro police stations, in the national capital have received directions from the concerned authorities to increase the duty timings of all the police officers.

 

In general the duty timings of the police officers, including constables and head constables, is 12 hours on any given day. 

The timings can vary depending on the specific requirements at any given point of time. 

However, from Saturday each police officer will have to be on duty for 15 hours every day. 

The south Delhi police officer informed that station head officers (SHO) have been instructed to do personal patrolling at least thrice every day. 

‘Each round must be not less than two hours and every day the SHOs are supposed to give daily 

reports to the senior police officials of their district,’ the official said.

Describing the responsibilities of a police officer during elections, an official said, ‘We have to keep a check on banners and posters that are defacing the walls. 

As in 2012, the State Election Commission has invoked the Delhi Prevention of Defacement of Property Act 2007. 

People belonging to any political party or any activist will be fined for pasting illegal posters. An FIR will also be registered against them.’

He added that the beat officers have been instructed to visit the houses and offices of individual candidates to keep a check on the number of flags, posters and banners. ‘If in any case they are found violating the laws, action will be taken against them,’ he said.