India, Oct. 17 -- The countdown to the 2029 General Election has begun. Police preparedness cannot wait for the election schedule announcement. Recruitment, training, deployment planning and inter-agency coordination take time. The work must start now.

Across states, demonstrations, activism and mass mobilisation pressure police forces. Peaceful protest is a democratic right; violence and criminal conduct must be handled lawfully. The challenge is maintaining public order without compromising civil liberties, impartiality or everyday policing.

This is a national call to all states and Union Territories to begin a structured programme of anticipatory police preparedness.

Recruit early, train early

Recruitment takes time. Vacancies in f...