Convoys of more than two vehicles will not be allowed to ply in the city on the day of the civic poll, police commissioner Prasun Mukherjee has announced. He warned on Tuesday that anyone trying to violate the injunction would be penalised, irrespective of political affiliation.

Senior police officers, including joint commissioners and additional commissioners, will patrol the streets on the election day to ensure that party workers do not roam around on two-wheelers, cars or trucks.

Beside the polling agent, only the candidate and his election agent will be allowed to enter a booth. Police will step in only when asked to.

'I believe there is concern regarding possible violence on the poll day. We would like to assure voters that we have made all arrangements so that we can react as quickly as possible if any untoward incident takes place,' Mukherjee said.

If there are reports of party workers trying to prevent residents of a building from stepping out by locking the main gate, police will break open the gate and escort the voters to the booth, the commissioner added.

To ensure quick intervention, there will multi-layered supervision in all the 92 wards under the city police jurisdiction. Three companies of the Eastern Frontier Rifles will be deployed at strongrooms, guardrooms and counting centres.

About 17,000 police personnel will be on duty on the day of the election. The number is the highest in recent times. Forty-four assistant commissioners and deputy commissioners of police will supervise the security arrangements.

The control room will be manned by the police commissioner, along with the deputy commissioner (headquarters) and the deputy commissioner (I) detective department.

Almost 90 per cent of the officers will carry mobile phones to be able to report to their superiors in an emergency. While Radio Flying Squads will patrol throughout the day, 33 Heavy Radio Flying Squads will be positioned at strategic locations.