LUCKNOW, June 11 -- The Uttar Pradesh government is gearing up for a mega ceremony to distribute appointment letters to more than 60,000 new police recruits. Union home minister Amit Shah will be present at the programme to be held in Lucknow this Sunday, officials said. The stage and massive pandals, which were being set up at the Defence Expo Ground in Vrindavan Yojana, are spread over an area of over 100 acres. Addressing a gathering on Sunday, chief minister Yogi Adityanath had confirmed that Shah would distribute the appointment letters in an event in Lucknow on June 15. The recruitments were part of the UP Police Constables' Direct Recruitment Examination-2023, which could be completed after hiccups of a question paper leak in February last year. It was one of the biggest recruitment drives taken up by the state government, with over 48 lakh aspirants, which included 15 lakh women, evincing interest in joining the department. The leak had given the opposition ammunition to target the Union and the state governments during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. BJP-led NDA's share in the state came down to 33 from 62 in 2019. While the political nuances of Shah's visit cannot be overlooked as panchayat polls are due in the state early next year, the event is also significant as it shows the government's commitment to creating job opportunities for youngsters. A senior police official engaged in the arrangements confirmed that the efforts to make the event a mega affair were in full swing. "Pandals being set up for the event are completely waterproof. Separate transformers are being installed at the site for an uninterrupted power supply. Sitting arrangements are being made for at least 70,000 people," he said, adding the CM met the Union minister in Delhi on Monday to formally invite him to the event. He said director general of police (DGP) Rajeev Krishna had written to all district police chiefs and police commissioners to expedite the steps required from the home districts of police recruits to facilitate the process. The letter stated that the allocation of cadres to 48,196 male and 12,048 female candidates should be completed soon. In the letter, the DGP said while the male candidates were required to wear full-sleeve white shirts, khaki pants and black shoes to the programme, women candidates must wear plain salwar suits or sarees. He said the home districts should make arrangements for the candidates to travel to Lucknow and come back, and that the Lucknow police commissioner should make arrangements for their stay. The recruitment process was completed under the leadership of Rajeev Krishna as the director of the UP Police Recruitment and Promotion Board (UPPRPB) after the removal of previous director Renuka Mishra following the question paper leak. The state government cancelled the written examination on February 24 and directed that it be reconducted within six months. The written examination was then successfully conducted in August 2024 under heightened security....