Election Commission to deploy 150 IPS officers
Source: The Sangai Express / (Agencies)
New Delhi, December 28 2011:
The Election Commission is likely to deploy around 150 senior IPS officers as observers in five poll-bound states for strict monitoring of law and order situation during the elections.
The IPS officers will be drawn from different states across the country and deployed in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur during the assembly elections beginning January 28, official sources said.
"The police officers will strictly monitor the law and order situation in the area of their deployment.
They will report directly to the EC and if necessary, they will give on the spot directive to ensure peaceful and fair polling," a source said.
Before their deployment, the officers will get a pre-deployment briefing from the EC officials about their task, the dos and don'ts and how to conduct themselves with close coordination with local police.
Around 80,000 paramilitary personnel, apart from state policemen, are expected to be deployed during the multi-phased assembly elections in five states.