Rajnath reviews poll arrangements, deputes Home Secy to J&K on Oct 3

Centre calls for smooth elections, assures all help

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 1: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today reviewed security situation in Jammu and Kashmir especially smooth conduct of Municipal and Panchayat elections and decided to depute Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba to the State for on spot assessment of the situation and requirements to ensure free, fair and smooth polling.
Official sources told the Excelsior that Gauba will be visiting Srinagar on October 3 and will hold meeting with top officials of civil and police administration besides other security agencies engaged with holding Urban Local Bodies and Panchayat polls to ascertain requirements of the administration even after sanction of 400 additional companies of para-military forces by the Central Government exclusive for the polling.
Gauba will review security preparedness for both the elections including Municipal and Panchayats, which are beginning from October 8 and will continue till December and include steps taken for protection of contestants, representatives of political parties, winners, polling stations etc.
“Top officers of civil administration, Jammu and Kashmir Police and para-military forces will brief the Home Secretary on the arrangements made for the elections in the entire State with particular reference to the Valley, where militant threat looms large over the polls,” sources said.
This will be first visit of the Union Home Secretary to Jammu and Kashmir after election process was formally initiated for Municipal and Panchayat elections in the State. The Union Home Ministry has already promised adequate security for the elections and decided to deploy 400 additional companies of para-military forces for the polling.
Sources said based on requirements projected by civil and police administration, the Home Ministry would take fresh decision to meet demands of the State Government as it wants election process to be conducted peacefully.
Meanwhile, top officials of Union Home Ministry briefed Rajnath on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir especially the ongoing election process, which will be set into motion with first phase of polling for Urban Local Bodies on October 8. Municipal elections will be held in four phases across the State including October 8, 10, 13 and 16 while nine-phase Panchayat polls will start in November and continue till December.
“Rajnath lauded security forces for dealing with internal and external threats in Jammu and Kashmir and assured them of the Centre’s full support in maintaining peace in the State,” sources said, adding that he was all praise for the BSF for taking revenge of the killing of BSF Head Constable Narender Singh within few days by inflicting heavy casualties and damages on Pakistan side.
The Home Minister was of the view that militancy situation and law and order problem were being dealt with firmly by all security agencies and some major successes have been achieved, both in the hinterland as well as the Line of Control (LoC). He expressed confidence that security forces will be able to eliminate the militancy.
Rajnath, however, asked the Security Grid, to remain alert ahead of the winter as there might be attempts from across the LoC to push in militants into the Kashmir Valley and the infiltration attempts need to be thwarted to keep number of militants in the Valley to bare minimum.
Sources said that Home Minister was briefed about the various measures taken to check infiltration and on the counter-insurgency operations in the hinterland.
The Home Minister reported asked the State Government and security officials to take further steps that will ensure a general sense of security among the grassroots level representatives involved in Panchayat and Municipal elections in the State.
Complimenting the role of the State Police and other security agencies, Rajnath was reported to have said that it was always a challenging and daunting task for the security agencies to tackle militancy and law and order problem in Jammu and Kashmir but due to sincere and effective efforts of all security agencies, they are ensuring peace in the state.”
The Union Home Minister, according to sources, also stressed upon better coordination among agencies and the civil administration. ”
To foil any attempt by troublemakers to disrupt peaceful atmosphere, close liaison should be maintained at every level and the officers supervising different components should be briefed accordingly,” sources quoted him as saying.
According to sources, he also said that a comprehensive Security Grid and deployment mechanism needs to be formulated to counter any untoward incident. The Union Minister stressed on maintaining alertness on the borders.