Karnataka secretariat turns into fortress for floor test

Bengaluru: Heightened security and extra vigil have turned Karnataka's secretariat, which houses the state legislature, into a fortress on Saturday for the crucial floor test of BJP Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa in the hung assembly.

"Elaborate security arrangements have been made at the secretariat and the nearby legislators' home to facilitate smooth conduct of the assembly proceedings for the floor test," Director General of Police Nilamani Raju said here.

The city police also imposed Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), prohibiting assembly of five or more persons 1 km in and around the secretariat to maintain law and order for the day-long session.

As directed by a three-judge bench of the apex court, security has also been provided to all the legislators participating in the floor test at 4 p.m.

"We have deployed five Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs), 20 Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACPs), 40 inspectors and 2,000 constables around the venue to prevent any untoward incident," Additional Commissioner of Police B.K. Singh told reporters earlier.

The police has also banned processions or rallies by the cadres and supporters of the BJP, Congress and Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) in the area.