Lok Sabha Election 2019: Security on high alert to guard EVMs, check for money muscle

As soon as the Election Commission announced the poll schedule for the 17th Lok Sabha elections on Sunday, security and paramilitary forces started gearing up for the country's biggest event. From transportation of EVMs to security of the poll officers, all agencies will have to be on their toes from now till May 23.

CAPF jawans will supplement the local police forces, and will be deployed for tasks such as area domination, route marches in vulnerable pockets, and other confidence building measures to reassure voters.

Senior police officers said the most important task would be to ensure the implementation of the Model Code of Conduct, for which static surveillance teams and mobile patrolling parties have been formed. Another responsibility is to ensure safety of the EVM machines, especially in insurgency-hit areas.

On polling day, all personnel will be responsible for safeguarding poll stations and providing security to voters. They would also be guarding strong rooms where EVMs and VVPATs are stored. "Elaborate planning is needed for holding elections. For every constituency, a complete development strategy is prepared. All polling stations are assessed in terms of criticality, and are rated from Normal, Critical or Highly Critical. Based on this, central agencies are requested," said Madhur Verma, Delhi police