Uttar Pradesh’s Director General of Police Prashant Kumar on Wednesday said that the UP Police was busy preparing for the Lok Sabha elections and was also ready to implement the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) without any hindrance.

“We are preparing on a war footing for the implementation of the CAA. If any information is received about any kind of dispute, we are ready to deal with it,” Prashant Kumar said, claiming that law and order will not be allowed to deteriorate in any way in the state.

He said, “We are fully prepared. We have already prepared data, so we also have weapons… We also have sticks; if necessary, they will be used legally to implement the CAA.”

Kumar said that they were in touch with all religious leaders for security arrangements during the elections and for implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

“We are also updating our resources like manpower and equipment in view of the elections. Right now there is an investment environment in the state and our ease of doing business is improving, hence nothing will be allowed that affects the image of the state,” Kumar asserted.

The DGP said that all administrative machinery, field commanders, police commissioners, ADG zones, range chiefs were working on this to ensure that no issue on law and order situation arises.

Kumar said that a team of the Election Commission of India had visited Uttar Pradesh and stayed for three days and held discussions with officials and it had also expressed satisfaction over the arrangements in the state.

“We assured them that the elections here will be held in a free and fair environment, absolutely violence-free and inducement-free,” the DGP added.

Meanwhile, on the paper leak issue, Kumar said that the government’s policy in the matter of recruitment was very clear. “Recruitment is done in a transparent manner. The issue of paper leak had come to light and the government canceled the entire process. The process will be started afresh within six months. The government has made it clear that no culprit will be spared,” he added.

Kumar has also issued security and traffic management guidelines to all police commissioners, ADGs of all police zones, IG/DIG of police ranges and the district police chiefs for the upcoming Maha Shivratri festival on March 8. He said that the police must work closely with the organisers, peace committees, and camp managers to maintain law and order.

“Stringent security will be implemented at jalabhishek locations, including anti-sabotage checks and QRT deployment. Special focus will be on securing kanwar yatra routes, sensitive areas, and crucial locations. Additional officers will be present along routes, particularly at night, to address emergencies and ensure safety of devotees,” the DGP said.

Kumar emphasised significant increase of police presence, with pickets, mobile patrols, and foot patrols along kanwar routes. UP112 vehicles will be deployed as and where needed, he added.

He said that festival registers must be updated and potential trouble spots identified for enhanced security. He instructed all field police officers to ensure that public address systems remained fully functional.

More patrols will be deployed, and local intelligence units will monitor social media closely for any misleading content.