In the aftermath of Kargil, Pakistan's secret agency was bound to create problems during the coming elections, Chief Electoral Officer Dr D K Sankaran said.

``There are bound to be such developments,''he said in reply to a specific query about ISI escalating the pace of its activities during the poll period.

``We are taking the ISI threat very seriously this time,''Joint Commissioner of Police (law and order) Ulhas Joshi said, adding that the ISI's efforts to foil the general elections could never be underestimated.

About poll violence in previous elections, Sankaran said the overall conduct of elections had been peaceful. The Chief Electoral Officer also praised the overall law and order in the State.

Memories of serial blasts prior to the last general elections inthe metropolis are vivid in the minds of people. Three persons were killed in separate incidents of blasts at Nirmalnagar in north-west Mumbai and Kandivli and Virar in north Mumbai. Police investigations later found out that it was an ISI ploy to deter the people from voting.

Additional Director General of State Police S S Puri said adequate security arrangements had been made, taking into account various threat perceptions.

Joint Commissioner of Police D Sivanandan said, ``We are plugging all loopholes so that none of those desirous of foiling elections can execute their design.''

Police have identified around 200 sensitive pockets in the metropolis itself and ``all-out efforts would be made to conduct elections in a tension-free manner'', Joshi said.

Police said Behrampada, Dharavi, Bhendibazar, Kurla, Dongri and Umarkhadi are some of the troubled pockets in the metropolis.

Similarly, the powerloom town of Bhiwandi in neighbouring Thane district, Malegaon and naxal-infested Gadchiroli districtare some of the troubled segments in parts of the State.

For the first time in the history of polls in Mumbai, stray incidents of booth-capturing were reported, first in Umarkhedi in the southern part of the State capital.