Drone cameras to be used in civic elections

NOIDA: The UP state election commission announced on Saturday that drone cameras would be used in the upcoming municipal corporation elections in the state in November.

State election commissioner S K Agarwal said drone cameras would be used to ensure free and fair elections after a review meeting with senior officials, including ADG (law & order) Anand Kumar, Meerut commissioner Prabhat Kumar, additional CEO Ved Prakash, Noida DM B N Singh and Noida SSP Love Kumar in Gautam Buddha University in Greater Noida.

"We may also hire private drones for the purpose. We have not decided on the number of such cameras," he said.

The elections for Nagar Palika Parishads will be held at Dadri, Gautam Budh Nagar, and the elections for Nagar Panchayats will be held in Dankaur, Rabupura, Bilaspur, Jewar, and Jahangirpur. There are 16 Nagar Nigams, 198 Nagar Palika Parishads and 439 Nagar Panchayats in UP.

These elections are not held in Noida and parts of Greater Noida, which are governed by respective authorities. The UP Industrial Act 1976 says there is no need for holding panchayat elections in such industrial towns.

Agarwal said the elections would be conducted in 3-4 phases and a final announcement on that would be made soon.

He also sensitised the commission officials on reviewing voter lists. The final revised list will be published on October 18. The officials were also asked to beef up security in the area ahead of the elections.

"The administration has identified 10% of the polling booths as hypersensitive and proper security measures, videography, webcasting and installing CCTV cameras, have been planned," he said.

He said that anyone who tried to stir communal tensions, would be dealt with strictly. "No one will be spared. The police and administration will show exemplary action against those people, irrespective of their profile or political connections," he said.