UTV | COLOMBO – The Director of the Police Elections Division Senior Superintendent of Police Ashoka Dharmasena says maximum security has been ensured for the General Election.
SSP Dharmasena speaking at a media briefing said 82,091 Civil Defence Force personnel including Policemen will be on duty for the election.
He said two officers have been deployed to each of the 12,984 polling centres, amounting to 25,998 Policemen, while 52 officers will be deployed to each counting centre amounting to a total of 3,328.
The SSP said each counting centre will have a Senior Superintendent of Police supervising proceedings, while 45 STF personnel have been deployed outside of each counting centre, adding 50 Civil Defence Force personnel will also be deployed for security.
SSP Dharmasena noted that 3,069 mobile patrols will be on duty as well, further explaining that each mobile unit will have 5 officers amounting to 15,345 officers in total.
He said the group will include 6,138 Policemen, 988 STF personnel and 5,146 Civil Defence Force personnel, while 64 riot squads have also been deployed with each team comprising 10 officers and 89 smaller riot squads have also been allocated with seven persons in each team.
The SSP remarked that 1,263 riot squad personnel will also be on duty.
Meanwhile SSP Ashoka Dharmasena added that road blocks have also been set up around counting centres, adding 148 permanent road blocks have been set up in lieu of the election.
He said 121 election related road blocks around counting centres have also been set up, whilst 61,078 Policemen, 3,145 STF personnel, 1,433 intelligence officers, 935 divisional intelligence officers, 1,926 bureau officers, 2,824 officers on security duty for the President, Prime Minister, former Ministers and retired politicians and 10,750 Civil Defence Officers are on election related duty.
The SSP said accordingly total of 82,091 officers will be on duty for the election.