CHANDIGARH: The Punjab government has decided to improve security for candidates for the forthcoming Lok Sabha and assembly elections in the state in the wake of gunning down of three candidates by militants during the past about one week.
A meeting of the state government’s core group on elections held here under the chairmanship of Mr Tejendra Khanna Chief Secretary decided that the minimum scale of official gunmen to be provided to candidates which presently stood at two constables plus one special police officer would be raised to two constables plus two SPOs This decision would be acted upon immediately in view of the present situation
The Inspector-General of Police Election Cell would consider the possibility of providing a self-loading rifle or carbine to at least one of the official gunmen (in uniform) provided to the candidate subject to the availability either from existing resources or by way of additional supplies during the elections.
As regards non-official gunmen who had been allowed to escort the candidate the present limit of three non-official gunmen would be raised to five with immediate effect. However if a particular candidate wanted some more nonofficial gunmen holding valid arms licences this might be permitted by the SSP concerned at his discretion. The non-official gunmen in all cases would be required to carry the documents which included photo identity card to be issued by the competent authority and a letter of authorization from the SSP permitting the candidate to be escorted by the non-official gunmen having specified identity
Among others who attended were Sada Nand Financial Commissioner A.S.Pooni Financial Commissioner S.R.Sharma IGP and N.C.Sharma Electoral officer.
Article extracted from this publication >> May 24, 1991
