KMC election: Kolkata police take charge of poll booths, Section 144 tomorrow – Times of India

KOLKATA: A large part of the city, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Kolkata Police, will be under prohibitory orders unde Sec 144 of CrPC from 5am to 7pm on Sunday, making it illegal for more than four people to gather on the road as KMC poll go on. Several traffic restrictions were imposed from Friday evening.
According to the order by Kolkata Police commissioner Soumen Mitra, all places within 200m of each of the 1,676 polling premises, which will have multiple polling booths, will be under prohibitory orders. No vehicle will be allowed to enter the restricted zone.
To ensure a peaceful election, around 23,000 cops from Kolkata Police and Bengal Police will be deployed on Sunday. Kolkata Police commandos and RAF personnel started their area domination and route marches in Park Circus and Shyambazar on Friday. Around 400 sergeants and more than 1,000 traffic cops will be withdrawn from city roads on Saturday and assigned to for poll duty. SEC has also asked police to ensure armed guards reach polling booths by Saturday and that they “should ensure there is no rigging or booth capturing”.
The election commission has instructed police to inspect all empty buildings, wedding houses, community halls, hotels, and lodges, along with under-construction buildings, so that no criminal can hide or arms are stocked there. SEC has also asked police to seize all guns from people with licences but are out on bail. Kolkata’s borders with districts will be sealed off for Sunday and vehicles entering the city on the poll day will be inspected.
Traffic was already prohibited on nine south Kolkata roads on Friday and the restrictions will continue till Sunday; those stretches will be accessible only to locals and poll personnel. The roads under curbs are Ballygunge Circular Road, Beltala Road, Chakraberia Road, Ritchie Road, Palit Street, Lovelock Road, Dover Road, Deodar Street and Paddapukur Road. Traffic restriction will again be imposed there on December 21, the day the KMC poll results are declared. Also, no vehicle other than those used by poll personnel and individuals, will be allowed towards north from the Rashbehari connector and Santipally crossing. Parking will be disallowed on 10 major arterial stretches across the city. Traffic headed for Ballygunge Circular Road from Gariahat Road will be diverted through Gurusaday Dutta Road and Gracha Road towards Hazra Road.
Mall late opening:
Malls in Kolkata will open at different times on Sunday. There is no closure notification but . Mani Square and Quest said they would stay shut till 5pm and Acropolis till 4pm. South City will open at 1pm and Forum is yet to take a call, though it may stay shut throughout on Sunday.
Lake closure:
Rabindra Sarobar will be closed from 6am of Sunday till 6am on Monday for KMC polls. Officials of KMDA, custodian of the Lake said the sarobar would be shut to visitors on Sunday as police would be busy elsewhere, keeping check on law and order on election day.