Udupi, Apr 22 (The Hindu): Deputy Commissioner P. Hemalatha has directed police officers to form a Special Task Force to provide adequate security at polling booths during the gram panchayat elections in naxal-affected areas of Kundapur and Karkala taluks.

She was chairing a district-level meeting on preparations for the gram panchayat elections, here on Wednesday.

She directed the police department to make adequate security arrangements at the counting centres in the three taluk headquarters of Udupi, Karkala and Kundapur. A nodal officer should be also appointed in each of these three taluks, she said.

Ms. Hemalatha said that since the services of gram panchayat secretaries was essential during the elections, they should not go on long leave. She directed the department heads to ensure that their vehicles were well maintained as they might be required during the elections. She directed the chief executive officer of the zilla panchayat Pranesh Rao to submit a list of shandies and fairs scheduled on the polling dates in the district.

She directed the officials of the Excise Department to see that the ban on sale of alcoholic beverages during the elections was strictly implemented. Legal action should be taken against those violating the ban, she said.

There was a possibility of alcohol being transported from urban areas to rural areas during the polls. Effective steps should be taken to see that this did not take place, she said.

She directed the Regional Transport Officer to provide the required number of vehicles on the polling days.

She asked the Deputy Director of Public Instruction to see that schools where polling booths would be set up, handed over the keys to Village Accountants of Revenue Department by May 6.