Heavy security in Adampur poll

JALANDHAR, Nov 24: With hundreds of Akali and Congress workers converging on Adampur on the eve of the by-poll, more than 2,500 police perso...

JALANDHAR, Nov 24: With hundreds of Akali and Congress workers converging on Adampur on the eve of the by-poll, more than 2,500 police personnel have been deployed in the constituency to ward off any untoward incident. Some CRPF personnel have also been deployed in the three towns of Bhogpur, Adampur and Ahlwalpur for patrolling.

As a keen contest ensues between Akali candidate Dalbir Singh Dheerowal and Congress candidate Kanwaljit Singh Lalli, the election has become a prestige issue for Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and PPCC chief Capt Amarinder Singh, both senior leaders of their respective parties.

The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), M. S. Gill is reported to have spoken to the deputy Commissioner and District Electoral Officer (DEO) following large scale complaints made by the Punjab Congress regarding code violations by the ruling Akalis.

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The Congress has also sent lathi wielding Congress workers to polling booths for “keeping a vigil on the polling process”. As Capt Amarinder Singh said, “they will repel any attempt by the ruling party workers at muscle flexing in the polling booths”.

There are 95 polling stations and 145 polling booths in the constituency and polling begins at 7 am tomorrow. Ballot boxes and papers were sent under tight security to the constituency today.

DEO Som Parkash said that he had written to the SSP Jalandhar to take stern action against any attempts to disrupt polling tomorrow. “We are taking all precautions”, he said, adding that wireless sets had been provided to magistrates stationed at Bhogpur, Adampur and Ahlawalpur and also to police personnel deployed in the constituency.