21,000 policemen to be deployed :

Security beefed up for PC polls

by Jayampathy JAYASINGHE

Police have finalised security arrangements for the forthcoming Provincial Council elections to be held on September 8 in the North Central, Eastern and the Sabaragamuwa provinces to ensure a peaceful election and the post election period, Senior DIG Administration and Elections, Gamini Navaratne told the Sunday Observer.

He said two armed policemen will be deployed at each polling booth in the three provinces to check any election-related malpractices.

In addition, standby armed police units will also be in readiness to deal with any contingencies in the three provinces.

Senior police officers along with policemen from other ranks in nine police divisions and from 108 police stations will be deployed for the Provincial Council elections.

The Senior DIG said that 47 persons were taken in for questioning in connection with election related incidents during the pre-election period. The Police Elections Secretariat has received 19 election-related complaints from Batticaloa and 16 from Ampara which are being investigated, he said.

Police Media Spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana said that of the 21,000 policemen deployed at the forthcoming Provincial Council elections 123 will be senior police officers and 1,400 police inspectors. Of this number, 70 Women Police Inspectors will also be deployed for election duty, he said.