Section 144 in Hyderabad on counting day, police beef up security

Thursday has been declared a public holiday, and wine shops, bars, restaurants serving liquor, and other establishments within the limits of the twin cities would remain closed.
Section 144 in Hyderabad on counting day, police beef up security
Section 144 in Hyderabad on counting day, police beef up security
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With the results of the Telangana Lok Sabha polls set to be declared on Thursday, the Hyderabad police said that Section 144 of the CrPC would be invoked across the city. Counting of votes will take place across the state on May 23, including at 15 counting centres in Hyderabad and Secunderabad. The orders will be in place 6 am on Thursday to 6 am on Friday.

In a statement, the police said that they were prohibiting the assembly of 5 or more people. Security was also being beefed up to ensure that no untoward incident took place.

“Carrying of sticks either with or without flags, lathis, firearms, or any other item which can be used as weapons for offence or defence by persons in processions, big gathering or meetings within a radius of 1 km from the counting centres is prohibited. Erection of temporary structures like shamianas, pandals, etc., on thoroughfares, public places and all other places where public may throng is also prohibited,” the police said.

While Thursday has been declared a public holiday, the police said that wine shops, bars, restaurants serving liquor and other establishments within the limits of the twin cities would remain closed.

The police also said that use of mics or public address systems is also prohibited.

The police also prohibited “making a speech, gesture or mimetic representation, exhibition or dissemination of pictures, symbols, placards or any other thing which is likely to create religious animosity or hatred between different communities or individuals or is likely to bring about commission of an offence of disturbance to or contempt of the law or of a lawful authority.”

Police officers, military and paramilitary personnel, home guards and election officials on duty were exempt from the order, Hyderabad police commissioner Anjani Kumar said.

The police also said that bursting of firecrackers on public roads and at public places, which is a commonly undertaken by political parties during results, was strictly prohibited.

“The public are hereby informed that any person violating the above orders shall be liable for prosecution,” the statement added.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the TRS won 11 seats, the AIMIM, BJP, TDP, YSRCP picked up 1 seat each, while the Congress won 2 seats.

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