DGP calls for peaceful, transparent and impartial conduct of local polls

State DGP Harish Kumar Gupta is holding a review meeting on preparedness for the upcoming local body elections in Guntur on Tuesday. | Photo credit: T. VIJAYA KUMAR

Andhra Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) Harish Kumar Gupta has directed police officials to complete all necessary preparations before issuing the notification for local body elections, stressing the need to ensure a peaceful, transparent and impartial election.

A regional preparedness meeting for the general municipal elections was held at the Guntur Police Conference Hall on Tuesday. ADGP (Law and Order) N. Madhusudhana Reddy, Guntur Range IGP Sarvashresta Tripathi, DIG Fakkeerappa Kaginelli and other senior police officials were present.

The DGP reviewed the arrangements related to elections in Guntur, Palnadu, Bapatla, Prakasam, Markapuram and Nellore districts, including the number of mandals, gram panchayats, ZPTC, MPTC and municipalities. He said the officials should complete the preparations in advance as the election process will be completed in a short time after the announcement.

Mr. Gupta directed officials to identify sensitive and hypersensitive villages and polling booths based on previous election-related incidents and initiate preventive action against miscreants, miscreants and suspects. He ordered intensified checks against illegal liquor, cash distribution and illegal transportation, besides reviewing cases registered in faction-prone villages in 2021 and 2024.

He called for the proper categorization of polling stations and deployment of security guards according to their vulnerability. Mobile phones, mobile parties and strike units should be ready, while ballot boxes should be transported under tight security. Power rooms and computing centers should also be given adequate protection, he said.

Meanwhile, IGP Tripathi stressed the need to identify areas prone to clashes, conduct cordon searches in villages to detect illegal weapons and monitor those involved in riots and provocative activities on social media. He said the troublemakers should be brought to book and measures to attach property should be taken wherever warranted.

Officials have also been instructed to closely monitor social media for fake news, rumors and inflammatory content and immediately clarify misinformation. Coordination with Returning Officers, Revenue Officers and Municipal Officers was also emphasized.

Briefing the DGP about the situation in the district, Guntur SP Vakul Jindal said measures are being taken to ensure a calm atmosphere and instill confidence among voters. Senior police officials from six districts attended the meeting.

Published – 06 Oct 2026 22:42 IST