Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 11::
Following the intimation of the Opposition bloc to the Election Commission of India to deploy only Central force at the polling stations during the Konthoujam Assembly by election, the ECI has today asked the Chief Electoral Officer to do the same.
Ten BSF platoons will be pressed into service to man the polling booths.
Already 8 platoons of the BSF have been deployed at the Constituency and two more will be despatched soon.
The CRPF will be kept on the alert.
According to a highly placed source, the message of the ECI was intimated to the Chief Electoral Officer, V Chibber by the Deputy Election Commissioner of the ECI Anand Kumar today.
In the message sent to the Chief Electoral Officer, the ECI said that only Central paramilitary force should be deployed at the polling stations on October 13, the date of the by election.
A copy of the message from the ECI has been sent to the DGP, said the source adding that a meeting has also been held to discuss the deployment of Central force at the polling stations.
The SP of Imphal West has also been asked to implement the instructions of the ECI, informed the source.
A top ranking police officer informed The Sangai Express that 25 polling stations of the 28 booths have been identified for deployment of Central paramilitary personnel.
One platoon of security personnel will be deployed at each polling station, said the police officer and added that unarmed security personnel will also be pressed into service.
Additional DG (LO) JC Dabas informed The Sangai Express that no efforts would be spared to ensure free and fair polling as well as to follow the directives issued by the ECI.
To a question whether the Central paramilitary force to be deployed for the by election are being kept on the ready, the police officer said that the requisite force is on the ready.
Even if the Central force are to be deployed at the polling stations, State force will be on mobile duty he added.