Punjab police chief Dinkar Gupta on Thursday asked the officers of law enforcement agencies to share the information relating to law and order.

“It is the need of the hour for security agencies to remain more vigilant in view of the attempts of foreign hands to disrupt the law and order of this border state,” said the state Director general of Police (DGP) during a meeting of the officers of interstate coordination committee held with various law enforcement agencies in view of Lok Sabha polls.

Gupta also directed the security agencies to maintain law and order in the coming days with the political activities catching pace once the filing of nominations start in the State, from April 22 — the date of issuing of notification for May 19 elections in Punjab.

Punjab Chief Electoral Officer Dr S Karuna Raju and DGP Gupta took stock of preparations for elections besides holding discussions with the officers from Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Chandigarh and Jammu and Kashmir.

During the meeting, the officials from Himachal Pradesh assured that there would be no smuggling of allopathy medicine, country-made liquor and opium especially from Baddi and Damtal. The officers from Rajasthan also assured that they would also strictly control the smuggling of poppy husk and opium, if any.

The officers from Haryana informed the meeting that they had made elaborate arrangements to check the smuggling of illegal arms from Uttar Pradesh borders besides conducting the checking of vehicles minutely to plug the flow of unaccounted cash.

Dr Raju, interacting with the officers, emphasised that Punjab and neighbouring states should ensure the effective setting up of interstate police barriers to check the vehicles passing through these nakas.

He said that all vehicles, including government vehicles and ambulances, should be checked. He also directed to ensure checking of Volvo buses and trucks entering the state from Delhi side by setting up surprise police nakas by installing CCTV cameras at these points.

CEO instructed the law enforcement agencies that the polls should be conducted in transparent and without any fear.

He also pointed out that the expenditure limit of Rs 70 lakh should also be under close vigil and smuggling of intoxicants and arms should also be checked strictly.

“Surveillance teams should also act proactively against the illegal flow of cash, if any, besides monitoring the online transactions. No one could use religious places for electioneering, which would also be maintained strictly,” he said.

Briefing about a camera enabled vehicles, the CEO said that the ECI had started the operation of one vehicle in each assembly constituencies, which were working round the clock to keep a close tab on election related activities.

“Polls in Punjab will be held in last phase and the people from other states can come to influence the voters so that adequate and necessary preventive measures should be timely put in place,” he said.

It was also informed in the meeting that as per the directions of Election Commission, no parole should be granted to inmates convicted in the cases of drug smuggling. “In cases of parole to convicted persons in routine cases should be given after having prior permission from the Election Commission and that parole would also be granted for a minimum duration only in emergency,” he added.