OFFICE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE
EAST DISTRICT
GANGTOK
Memo No. ………/SP/E Dated: …………../2010
SYNOPSIS OF POLICE ARRANGEMENT IN CONNECTION WITH LOK SABHA (PARLIAMENT) AND SIKKIM VIDHAN SABHA (LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY) ELECTIONS ON THE 30TH OF APRIL 2009 IN EAST DISTRICT.
1. INTRODUCTION :
The general elections to the Parliament (Lok Sabha) and Sikkim Vidhan Sabha (Legislative Assembly) will held from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on 30th April 2009 in the East District. The Election Day may witness tension and rivalry among political parties, which will have a bearing on the law & order situation. Therefore, in order to maintain a peaceful atmosphere in the run up to the elections and to ensure free and fair poll, the following security plan for East District is necessitated.
2. GENERAL:
The primary responsibility of the police in East District shall be to ensure that the polling process is completed in a fair and free manner, enabling the voter to exercise his fundamental right without any encumbrance.
A list of polling stations has been circulated to all Police Stations in East District. All Officers in Charge have personally visited the polling stations and submitted their reports. The police deployment at each polling station has been made as per the feedback received from the concerned officers.
Police on duty should exercise full control over the polling premises and its surroundings to enable the polling party to conduct their charter of duty without fear or favour. All eligible voters should be allowed unhampered access to the polling station with special consideration for the weaker sections of the society, women, physically challenged and the senior citizens. No anti social element should be allowed to exert any influence on the polling process. The code of conduct specified for the elections should be firmly enforced by all police officers.
Preventive action initiated by the Officers in Charge of Police Station with respect to anti social elements should be continued in the right earnest. Regular patrolling should be conducted in bazaar areas. Strong vigil should be kept at the check post to deter entry of persons, whose presence in the area is detrimental to the general law and order. All human and vehicular traffic should be thoroughly screened to prevent entry of arms, ammunition and other explosives. Checking of hotels and other guest houses should be carried out to weed out undesirable elements.
On the day of polling, the voters coming to cast their votes should be asked to stand in proper queue. There should be no campaigning during the period of 48 hours prior to the start of the polling process. No gathering of people, supporters etc should be permitted within a radius of 100/200 yards of the polling stations. None of the candidates or their agents should be allowed to hire vehicles to bring the voters at the polling stations, as this constitutes an election offence.
3. OBJECTIVES
A. Safe guarding of the polling material and the personnel deployed for the polling process at all locations and times
B. Safe movement of polling material and polling parties from the counting centre to the polling stations and back
C. Free and fearless movement of voters to the polling stations
D. Maintenance of law and order during the poll process
E. Enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct
F. Assistance to Election Observers
4. POLLING STATIONS, LOCATIONS, SECTORS AND POLICE ARRANGEMENTS:
There are a total of 198 polling stations falling under the jurisdiction of East District. 180 numbers of polling stations out of these 198 polling stations fall under the constituencies of East District for which DC/ East is the returning officer. The remaining 18 polling stations fall under 29-KABI-LUNGCHUK (BL) (7 polling stations) and 16-TUMIN-LINGI (BL) (PART) with 11 polling stations, falling in the jurisdictions of North and South District respectively.
The break up of constituency wise polling stations is as follows.
Sr. No / CONSTITUENCY / NO OF POLLING STATIONS / POLLING LOCATIONS / RETURNING OFFICER1. / 16-TUMIN-LINGI (BL) (PART) / 11 / 6 / DC-SOUTH
2. / 17-KHAMDONG-SINGTAM / 15 / 10 / DC-EAST
3. / 18-WEST PANDAM / 14 / 7 / DC-EAST
4. / 19-RHENOCK / 20 / 15 / DC-EAST
5. / 20-CHUJACHEN / 19 / 16 / DC-EAST
6. / 21-GNATHANG-MACHONG (BL) / 14 / 11 / DC-EAST
7. / 22-NAMCHEYBONG / 16 / 10 / DC-EAST
8. / 23-SHYARI (BL) / 17 / 11 / DC-EAST
9. / 24-MARTAM-RUMTEK (BL) / 21 / 12 / DC-EAST
10. / 25-UPPER TADONG / 08 / 03 / DC-EAST
11. / 26-ARITHANG / 11 / 05 / DC-EAST
12. / 27-GANGTOK (BL) / 11 / 07 / DC-EAST
13. / 28-UPPER BURTUK / 14 / 07 / DC-EAST
14. / 29-KABI-LUNGCHUK (BL)(PART) / 07 / 06 / DC-NORTH
15. / TOTAL 14 / 198 / 126
For the purpose of this arrangement the above 198 polling stations have been divided into 12 Sectors these have been further divided into 20 Sub Sectors. Each sector will supervised by a gazetted officer of the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police or Inspector of police and each sub- sector will be under the charge of SI/ASI.
These sectors and sub-sectors have been drawn keeping in mind the vastness of the area and sensitivity apart from the administrative command and control.
Details of arrangement and deployment of sector and sub-sector officers with men and areas/polling stations allotted to them have been shown at deployment chart as Annexure – I.
Sector / Sector Officer / Sub Sector –A / Subsector-B / Subsector-C1. / Sh K D Sangderpa
SDPO Gangtok / ASI Ganesh Chhetri
In Charge Dikchu
Out-Post / SI Yankila Bhutia
Sadar Police Station / -NA-
2. / PI Tshering Sherpa
Officer In Charge Sadar Police Station / SI Chewang Bhutia
Sadar Police Station / SI Karma Denzongpa
Sadar Police Station / -NA-
3. / Sh Sharab Tonyot
ASP Traffic / ASI Sonam Bhutia
Traffic Branch / SI Gambhir Chhetri
Traffic / -NA-
4. / PI Solomon Rai
Traffic / SI Sonam Wangchuk
Officer In Charge Ranipool / ASI K K Pradhan
Ranipool Police Station / -NA-
5. / PI Deepa Sharma Traffic / SI D K Pradhan
Traffic / --NA- / -NA-
6. / Sh. Ashok Sundas
SDPO Pakyong / Prasad Dewan
Officer In Charge Pakyong / SI H B Pradhan
Pakyong Police Station / SI Parul Ruchal
Rhenock Police Station
7. / Sh. Ramesh Sundas
SDPO Rongli / SI Parsuram Sharma
Officer In Charge Rhenock / SI Bhoj Kumar Pradhan
Traffic / -NA-
8. / PI Arun Thatal
Officer In Charge Rongli / SI Mani Kumar Tamang
Crime Branch / SI Tashi Chopel
Rongli Police Station / ASI Dup Tshering
PP Lingtam
9. / Sh. H K Tiwari
SDPO Rangpo / SI Chandan Chhetri
Singtam Police Station / SI Loday Tshering Tamang
Crime Branch / --NA-
10. / PI Bishal Rai
Officer In Charge Singtam / ASI Passang Sherpa
In Charge Makha / SI Bijendra Thapa
Sadar Police Station / --NA-
11. / PI K B Gurung
Officer In Charge Rangpo / ASI Naren Pradhan
Rangpo Police Station / SI Roshan Rai
Rangpo Police Station / --NA-
12. / PI Anjana Silwal,
Training Branch / SI Bikas Basnett
Officer In Charge Sherathang / SI S K Rai
Officer In Charge Kupup / --NA-
5. POLICE ARRANGEMENT
Police arrangement in East District shall comprise of the following components
A. Protection of the Polling Material
The Electronic Voting Machines shall be transported from the office of the Chief Electoral officer at Gangtok to TNA auditorium on the 18th of April, 2009. SDPO/ Gangtok shall personally supervise the transportation of these EVMs to the counting center and their proper storage.
SDPO/ Gangtok shall be the overall In Charge of the security of the counting center deployment till the completion of the poll process. One platoon of CPMF shall be stationed at the counting center for its safe guarding. Officer in Charge of Sadar Police Station shall be responsible for regular and periodic checking of this guard.
Director Fire service shall be requested to deploy a fire tender at the venue and also to direct his staff for regular inspection of the venue.
The details of deployment at the Strong Room/ Counting Centre are appended at Annexure-II.
B. Police Arrangement during the distribution of Polling Material
One Gazetted Officer assisted by the second Officer in Charge of Sadar Police Station and adequate manpower shall regulate the distribution of the polling material to the polling parties and also its receipt after the return of the polling parties.
C. Deployment at Polling Stations: Two uniformed police personnel shall accompany each polling party. The sensitive polling stations shall also have CPMF deployment as per ECI guidelines. The deployment at sensitive polling stations is appended at Annexure III.
D. Mobile Patrolling: the following police patrols shall cover the routes as delineated.
Sl. No / Mobile / FROM / TO / PERSONNELREQUIRED
1. / Mobile-I / PAKYONG / RORATHANG / 1 HC+4 ORS
2. / Mobile-II / RUMTEK / RANKA / 1 HC+4 ORS
3. / Mobile-III / RANIPOOL / BHUSUK / 1 HC+4 ORS
These mobiles shall cover the vulnerable areas under the supervision of the respective nodal officer designates.
E. Static Police Pickets: Police pickets shall be established at the following locations
that are sensitive and bereft of police presence.
a. Tumin Petrol Pump: 1 ASI+ 4 personnel
b. Rorathang Bridge: 1 ASI +4 personnel
c. Burtuk/ Bojoghari: 1 ASI+ 4 personnel
F. Reinforcement of existing Police Deployments: the following existing police
deployments have been reinforced with a section of armed police/CPMF
a) Rangpo Check Post ( 1 Section ITBP)
b) Ranipool Check Post (1 Section SAP)
c) Tadong Out-Post
d) Reshi Out-Post (1 Section ITBP)
G. Deployment at Police Station/ Out-Posts: The Police Stations and Out-Posts of
East District shall have skeletal staff deployment to enable them to carry out their routine functions.
H. Traffic Deployment: ASP/ Traffic shall ensure the orderly movement of polling
parties to and from the counting center. He shall be assisted by one Traffic Inspector and 10 other ranks of traffic personnel at the counting center.
I. Deployment of Armed Police and CPMF: the Armed Police and Para-Military Force shall be deployed at the following locations for dealing with any law and order situations.
Sr. No / Deployment / Strength / Force / Place of Accommodation1) / Counting Centre at TNA Auditorium, Gangtok / 1 platoon / ITBP / TNA Auditorium
2) / Reserve for law & order in East District / 1 platoon / CRPF / Paljor Stadium
3) / Dikchu Out-Post / 1 section / SAP / Near Dikchu Out-Post.
4) / Ranipool Police Station / 1 section / SAP / Ranipool Police Station
5) / Singtam Police Station / 1 platoon / APSP / Bihari Dharamshala
6) / Rangpo Check Post / 1 section / ITBP / Rangpo CP
7) / Pakyong PS / 1 platoon / APSP / Panchayat Bhawan, Pakyong
8) / Rhenock PS / 1 section / SAP / Old police quarters behind Police Station.
9) / Reshi Check POst / 1 section / ITBP / Reshi CP
10) / Rongli Police Station / 1 section / SAP / BAC Rongli
6. FUNCTIONING OF POLICE STATIONS/CPs & PICKETS :
All Police Stations, Check Posts and Pickets/Assistance Booths in the entire district will function as usual with the available skeletal staff. All Officers in Charge of Police Stations will ensure that the normal routine functions are carried out without causing inconvenience to the general public.
7. POLICE PATROLLING AND PREVENTIVE ACTION:
Officers-In–Charge of the police stations concerned will deploy from their own existing strength officers and men for patrolling in their areas to avoid any untoward incident with immediate effect.
Preventive action under the relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code, Criminal Procedure Code and Sikkim Police Act shall be taken by all Officers in Charge of Police Stations in East District. The primary objective of this action shall be to ensure free and fair exercise of universal adult franchise.
The patrol party should ensure that the rival political parties do not tamper or destroy the posters already pasted on the spaces allotted to them nor should they affix their posters over the posters already pasted by another party.
The Licensing Authority for Arms Licenses in the state of Sikkim has issued the order for suspension of Arms Licenses. All Officers in Charge of Police Stations must ensure that licensed arms in their jurisdictions are deposited under proper receipt with the Police Station. These arms should thereafter be properly packed and sealed and deposited with the Reserve Lines at PHQ.
Preventive action against history sheeters, known bad characters, unruly elements and persons involved in election related offences in the past election should be initiated.
In this context it may be noted that all printed pamphlets and handbills should bear the publisher’s and the printer’s name and addresses. Non-compliance should be dealt as per the provisions of the Representation of People Act, 1951. Cases of defacement of public property should be registered under the Sikkim Prevention of Defacement of Properties Act, 1988. The constituency level committees for the monitoring and implementation of the Model Code of Conduct vide Memo No. DERO/47/MCC/08-09/580 dated 29th March 2009 has been formulated. All members have been instructed to spare no effort in the strict implementation of the model code of conduct.