Odisha Elections 2024: Focus on enforcement, curbing fake news, says DGP

Odisha DGP Arun Sarangi on Monday chaired an important meeting on the preparedness for simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in the state. Recently, the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the dates for the polls in Odisha which will be held in four phases.

Not only senior officials of the state, but senior officials of three other states- Chhattisgarh, West Bengal and Jharkhand participated in the cooperation meeting held today. Mostly senior officials, SPs of bordering districts, and range DIGs attended the meeting through video-conferencing along with state officials including Intelligence and other departments.

“The meeting focused on ensuring free, fair and peaceful elections. The Election Commission of India (ECI) also instructed to hold talks with bordering states to intensify patrolling so that the movement of illegal firearms, cash, liquor and other materials along with naxal activities can be checked,” said Sarangi.

“Odisha Police has set up border check posts in all border districts and adequate force has been deployed. All vehicles are being checked and some seizures have been made. The focus is on the execution of pending warrants and arresting anti-socials apart from curbing illegal narcotics and transportation of cash during polls. The move is to ensure police visibility,” said Sarangi.

For polling in Maoist areas, the senior official said that soon a meeting with Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh officials will be held and necessary action will be taken in this regard.

On misinformation and fake news, ECI has directed to take special measures, the Odisha DGP said.

“Our social media cell is there and an IG rank officer is monitoring all news and we will try to block fake news. When allegations will come, appropriate action will be taken against those spreading fake news,” the DGP added.