Mangaluru : The State police will use available personnel to ensure peaceful conduct of the second phase of elections to the zilla and taluk panchayats on February 20. “We are not seeking the services of paramilitary forces or police forces from other States,” said Additional Director-General of Police (Law and Order) Alok Mohan here on Wednesday.

Talking to reporters, Mr. Mohan said that Central paramilitary forces are not deployed for security during the zilla and taluk panchayat polls. “We are not getting forces from neighbouring States, including Kerala. We have good number of men. We are capable of ensuring peaceful conduct of polls,” he said.

Mr. Mohan said that 2,500 personnel will be deployed across 2,737 polling booths in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Chikkamagaluru districts, which are among the 15 where polling in the second phase will be held. Commandoes of the Karnataka State Industrial Security Force and the striking force of the Karnataka State Reserve Police will be deployed. The services of nearly 2,000 Home Guards will also be used, he added.

Mr. Mohan said that the police have started making preventive arrests of persons who are likely to cause problems during the elections. The police will initiate proceedings to extern a few “bad elements” from the three districts. On the effectiveness of banishing such persons in this era of modern communication, Mr. Mohan said that the police are making use of powers vested in them. “It is to convey the message (to mischievous elements) that it is not desirable (to do acts that disturb peace),” he said. If such people continue to carry out such acts, then the police will be booking them under the Goonda (The Karnataka Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Bootleggers, Drug Offenders, Gamblers, Goonda) Act 1985.

Mr. Mohan said that since December last nearly 100 persons have been detained under the Goonda Act. Of these, 16 are from Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Chikkmagaluru and Uttara Kannada districts while three are from the Mangaluru Commissionerate limits. Nearly 3,000 persons have been booked under the Karnataka Police Act in the last two months. “We are taking stern action against those habitually creating problems,” he said.

Earlier, Mr. Mohan had a meeting to discuss security arrangements in the three districts where polling will be held. Inspector-General of Police (Western Range) Amrit Paul, Mangaluru Police Commissioner M. Chandra Sekhar and Superintendents of Police of the three districts Sharanappa S.D., K. Annamalai and K. Santosh Babu participated in the meeting.