Chief Secretary orders officials to enforce model code of conduct strictly for free & fair polls

Hyderabad: Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari today asked the officials to strictly enforce the model code of conduct to ensure a free, fair and peaceful elections in the State.

CS held a meeting with officials and reviewed the implementation of the model code of conduct. She took stock of the law-and-order situation, setting up of check-posts and daily seizure reports and so on.

The Chief Secretary directed the officials to arrange surveillance at Begumpet airport as well as at Shamshabad. She also told to notify dry days in the border districts when elections are held in the neighbouring States as per the Election Commission guidelines.

She also directed the Forest department officials to identify clandestine routes in forests, which are used by the smugglers so as to increase surveillance which will help in seizures.

DGP Ravi Gupta said interstate meetings with all the neighbouring States have been held and 85 border checkposts have been set up by the State. Integrated checkposts, flying squads and static surveillance teams have stepped up vigil which resulted in seizures of around Rs 35 crore during the last fortnight after the model code of conduct came into force.

Commissioner Commercial Taxes T K Sridevi briefed that the increased vigilance by the Commercial Tax department through the integrated border checkposts has resulted in seizure of Rs 5.19 crore after the announcement of model code of conduct.

The Commercial Tax department has also mapped commodities coming and going out of the State, which has helped the department to nab habitual offenders. Surveillance has also been increased on manufacturing and trading godowns Special Chief Secretary CT & Excise Sunil Sharma, Home Secretary Jitender, senior police officials Mahesh Bhagwat, Sanjay Jain, Principal Secretary TR&B Srinivas Raju, Commissioner Transport Buddha Prakash Jyothi, Commissioner Excise Sridhar and other officials attended the meeting.