Lucknow, Oct. 8 -- With preparations for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections beginning to gather momentum, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has directed district magistrates/district election officers (DMs/DEOs), police commissioners and superintendents of police of all districts to conduct vulnerability mapping in their respective areas. The officials have also been asked to prepare details of criminal cases from previous Lok Sabha and assembly elections, including instances of caste-related violence, violations of the model code of conduct, seizure of cash and other material, re-polls, individuals with serious criminal cases and cases related to alcohol in respective districts. Uttar Pradesh chief electoral officer Navdeep Rinwa was reviewing assembly poll preparations in a meeting with DEOs, police commissioners, SPs and SSPs through video conferencing. The CEO told the officers that, as per the ECI's directives, sector officers and sector police officers must be appointed four months prior to the assembly election date. Keeping in mind the first date of voting in the last assembly elections, he instructed the officers to ensure the appointment of sector officers and sector police officers for the assembly elections within a week.htc...