All law and order measures taken for conduct of T.N. Assembly election: Chennai Police Commissioner

Chennai Police Commissioner A. Arun announces comprehensive law and order measures for the upcoming Assembly election to ensure secure polling.

All law and order measures have been put in place for the conduct of the Assembly election in the city, Greater Chennai City Police Commissioner A. Arun said on Monday (March 9, 2025).

“The Election Commission held meetings with us and issued various instructions. Following this, we have taken a series of measures ahead of the election, such as transferring officials who had served for a long period in the same place, identifying vulnerable booths, and strengthening security arrangements. Licence holders have been directed to surrender their weapons and known rowdy elements have been bound over. Law and order has now been further tightened and we are ready for the election,” Mr. Arun told reporters.

There are 24 Assembly constituencies within the Greater Chennai City Police (GCP) limits, of which 15 fall fully under the jurisdiction and nine are partly covered. Of these, 16 Assembly constituencies fall under the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), five under Tiruvallur district, two under Chengalpattu district and one under Kancheepuram district.

The Commissioner said there are 1,240 polling locations with 5,445 polling stations within the GCP limits. Four critical polling locations with seven polling stations and 197 vulnerable polling locations with 1,021 polling stations have been identified.

He said three companies of the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) have arrived for election bandobust and two more companies are expected to arrive ahead of the election. There are 2,364 arms licence holders, of which 900 arms have been deposited and 573 have been exempted from deposition, he added.

Stating “rowdy elements” are under control and under constant surveillance, Mr. Arun said there are 5,055 history-sheeters within the GCP limits. Of these, bound-over proceedings have been initiated against 2,231 criminals and troublemakers under provisions of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita to prevent them from committing offences. In addition, more than 1,000 history-sheeters have been detained under the Goondas Act.