The district administration is making advance preparations for the upcoming festive season to maintain law and order.
On Sunday, district magistrate (DM) Sanjay Kumar Agarwal gave instructions to all the police stations to ensure better law and order in areas under their jurisdiction.
The DM also asked the officials concerned to make a list of all Puja committees, pandals and Muhharam tazia committees in advance apart from holding meetings of a peace committee formed at different localities. He also asked the officials to ensure that every committee follows the dos and don'ts of the district administration in which certain guidelines are prescribed to follow.
Muhharam and Durga Puja would be observed in October.
Accompanied by senior superintendent of police (SSP) Manu Maharaaj, city superintendent of police (central) Chandan Kushwaha and Patna city SP (west) Rajeev Mishra, the DM instructed the officials to prepare a list of history-sheeters, declared absconders and fugitives and keep tabs on such elements.
He also instructed sub-divisional officers (SDOs) and station house officer (SHOs) to ensure strict implementation of the Bihar Control of the Use and Play of Loudspeakers Act, 1955, during the festive season. The rule does not allow playing of loud music after 10pm.
"The meeting was convened to give instructions to all police stations to maintain law and order in the state during the festive season as well as during the Assembly elections," said Agarwal.
In the coming days, the DM would also convene a meeting of the Puja committees in which he would give specific instructions on the safety measures like keeping fire extinguishers, separate entry and exit queue for men and women, apart from installing closed-circuit television cameras in the pandals.
Sunday's meeting was also convened with an aim to make a preparation on the law and order part ahead of the Assembly polls.
Agarwal instructed all police officers to make a list of people having been named in criminal cases in the last two elections and to initiate the process of seizing the licensed arms.
Keeping in mind the model code of conduct, which could be imposed anytime now, Agarwal said: "As soon as the Election Commission issues the press note of Bihar election, section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) should be implemented in the entire district."
Section 144 of the CrPC is a prohibitory order restricting the congregation of five or more than five persons at one place.
Agarwal also instructed police to crack down on illegal liquor sale and dens and start intensive vehicle checking drives on a daily basis apart from making special arrangement at voting booths in diara (riverine) areas.
The instructions also include preparing a list of all people convicted in election related matter under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
