Patiala, December 26
For the first time in Punjab, over two dozen senior IPS officers from outside the state will report on election duty in the state as part of efforts to ensure a smooth poll. They will specially monitor police-related works till the election process is complete.

These officers of the rank of DIG and above will be deployed under the latest set of directions of the Election Commission to ensure free and fair poll process without any bias by the Police Department.

Highly placed sources in the Election Commission confirmed that police observers from outside Punjab will be deployed to supervise the operation of flying squads and state surveillance teams.

“As many as 25 police district SSPs will be asked to coordinate with the police observers and bring any issue pertaining to violation of the election code to their notice,” they said. At present, a majority of police officers in the state posted as SSPs are PPS officers and the Congress has been demanding their replacement.

With IPS officers from outside the state being deputed, the Congress will heave a sigh of relief as they feared the misuse of police in the elections.

Officials confirmed that a batch of DIG and above-level officers would reach Punjab in a fortnight and take charge of the entire election-related exercise to ensure that there is no help to politicians by policemen at the grassroots level.

“On an average, there will be one officer per district in the state who would get reports from the SSP almost on a daily basis,” they said.

According to Election Commission officials, the police observer, in case he/she is not satisfied with the police functioning, will coordinate with the nodal police officer of the state and the Chief Election Officer (CEO) to have central police personnel in the teams.

Preferring anonymity, a SSP posted in the state said that police observers would make police working a little easier given the fact that they understand routine policing.

“Usually a politician calls up to tell us to turn a blind eye if liquor is being smuggled or if any of their supporters are caught with drugs, despite a code being in place. However, once these officers are there in the district, there will be no pressure on us,” he said.

Confirming the development, Gurkirat Kirpal Singh, Joint CEO, Punjab, told The Tribune that the list of police observers was awaited, but they could be here anytime and would take over the election-related process immediately.

“On an average, we will have one IPS officer per district and it will be for the first time that such an arrangement would be there, especially in Punjab,” he added.