POLICE RECEIVED 610 ELECTION-RELATED CASES UP TO APRIL 27

Jakarta, April 29 (ANTARA) - National Police Chief General Bambang Hendarso Danuri said up to April 27, 2009, a total of 610 criminal cases related to the recent legislative elections were reported to the police.

Of the number of reported cases, 312 had been passed on to public prosecutors, he said.
In addition to the 610 cases, investigations into 131 cases were stopped and 167 cases were still in the process of investigation, Danuri said at a working meeting with the House of Representative's Commission III at the parliament building here on Monday.

According to the Police Chief, police had faced several obstacles in securing the implementation of the legislative elections on April 9, 2009.

"Not all poll participants abide by existing regulations, especially on the obligation to inform the police about their campaign activities, and in general the poll participants ignored traffic regulations. Coordination in protecting poll logistics distribution was also weak," he said.

The police would now make efforts to improve security matters for the upcoming presidential elections scheduled to be held on July 8, 2009, he said.

The planned improvements would include an adjustment in security arrangements if there was a change of the poll schedule, and intensified coordination with the General Elections Commission in securing poll logistics distribution to ensure they would arrive on time, he said.