National Assembly Chairman Vương Đình Huệ yesterday attended an online conference connecting police offices in 63 cities and provinces. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — National Assembly Chairman Vương Đình Huệ has urged the need to ensure security and safety for the elections of deputies to the 15th National Assembly and People’s Councils for the 2021-2026 tenure, which are slated for May 23.

At an online conference connecting police offices in 63 cities and provinces, Huệ said the election will involve nearly 85,000 polling stations to elect 500 National Assembly deputies and thousands of People’s Council deputies.

He said this was an important event taking place amid the complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic with a surge of infections recorded in many localities recently.

Huệ asked the Ministry of Public Security to continue working closely with the National Election Council, the Ministry of National Defence, the Ministry of Health, the People's Committee and the Election Commission to review the tasks of ensuring security and safety during the elections, especially in COVID-19-hit localities.

Public security forces must have plans for internal political security, as well as information communications, cyber and social security, as well as be ready to fend off the plots and activities of hostile forces and reactionary elements that aim to spoil the elections.

Many candidates are still campaigning, so Huệ asked that voters’ meetings be held with absolute safety.

He also asked the police force to work closely with agencies and local authorities to promptly and legally resolve complaints cases, denunciations of citizens, disputes, and lawsuits to maintain political stability and create a peaceful and favourable environment for the elections.

Huệ said the number of complaints from denunciations to candidates has decreased compared to the previous tenure, mainly from commune and district levels. 

The National Election Council has worked with the Election Commission to resolve complaints and denunciations to avoid having to deal with complaints and denunciations after the election is finished, he added.

Huệ emphasised the prevention of the pandemic at polling stations to minimise the risk of infection. Measures such as dividing the number of people coming to the polls to avoid mass gathering and following health ministry guidance must be implemented strictly.

At the conference, Lieutenant General Lương Tam Quang, Member of the Party Central Committee and Deputy Minister of Public Security, briefed participants about the work of ensuring security and order for election. 

All security work has been basically completed across the country.

Minister of Public Security Tô Lâm said the police force would work closely with other forces to effectively implement plans for the absolute protection of security and order on election day. VNS