Conduct free, fair elections: Collector Devasena

Peddapalli: District Collector Devasena emphasised the need for cooperation between the officials of adjacent districts as well as the States to conduct Lok Sabha elections in free and fair manner.

With Parliament elections scheduled to be held on April 11, the Collector conducted a meeting with the officials of adjacent districts at millennium hall at NTPC on Thursday.

Speaking on the occasion, she said the recent Assembly elections went off peacefully with the cooperation between the officers belonging to various districts and States. She wanted similar cooperation between officers in parliament polls too.

"Cooperation needed to maintain law and order and implementation of model code since elections for Peddapalli and its surrounding districts and States are scheduled in the first phase. Strict measures should be taken to prevent illegal transportation of liquor and money. Each and every vehicle should be checked thoroughly by setting up check-posts," she added.

The Collector directed officials to make tight security arrangements in naxal-affected areas to ensure voters to exercise their franchise in peaceful atmosphere. 19 MCC, nine flying squads, and 11 static surveillance teams have been constituted to implement model code. In order to track the movements of the teams, GPRS system was also arranged in vehicles provided to teams.

Political leaders were adopting different kinds of methods to lure voters. Saying that besides gifts, money also is being transferred into voters' accounts, she asked the officials to keep a check on this also.