Srinagar, Mar 28: In anticipation of the upcoming LokSabha elections, the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) for Law and Order in Jammu and Kashmir, who also serves as the State Police Nodal Officer (SPNO) for the 2024 parliamentary elections, led a crucial high-level meeting on Thursday. The meeting, held at the Police Control Room (PCR), aimed to assess and bolster preparedness for the electoral process.

A police spokesman said that the meeting focused on various aspects crucial for ensuring the smooth conduct of elections in Jammu & Kashmir. The meeting was virtually attended by ADGP Jammu alongwith the IG CRPF Jammu & other senior officers of BSF/CRPF/SSB.

The meeting, which convened virtually, was attended by ADGP Jammu, along with senior officers from the IG CRPF Jammu and other officials from BSF/CRPF/SSB. Physically present at the meeting were 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.

He said the meeting revolved around bolstering security arrangements, particularly emphasising on-site security measures and conduction of smooth polls.

“Plans for preparing safe routes for the movement of electoral personnel and facilitating the security personnel deployed for election duties were precisely deliberated upon to ensure their safety and efficiency throughout the electoral process,” the spokesman said.

As per Police spokesman, the meeting also focused on 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,” he said.

IGP Kashmir V K Birdi also briefed the ADGP L&O Vijay Kumar about the existing security plans, following which ADGP L&O underscored the need to revisit and reinforce the security arrangements.

“Special attention will be given to the deployment of manpower in a calculated manner, ensuring strategic positioning to effectively monitor and respond to any potential threats or vulnerabilities,” he said.

The spokesman said that ADGP L&O stressed the commitment of the 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,” he added.