Centre to provide 85,000 security personnel for poll duties in 5 States
Source: The Sangai Express / The New Indian Express

New Delhi, January 03 2017: The Centre will provide about 850 companies (85,000 personnel) of the Central security forces to the Election Commission for the conduct of upcoming Assembly elections in five States, including in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Uttarakhand.

At a high-level meeting with the Election Commission on Monday, a team of Union Home Ministry officials led by Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi conveyed to the Constitutional body that it would provide 750 companies of the Central paramilitary forces for conducting the impending elections in the five States.

Apart from the 750 companies, the Ministry will also press into action 100 companies from the State Armed Police Forces and India Reserve Battalions that will be drawn from various States for the poll exercise, North Block sources said.

A company of paramilitary force typically comprises 100 personnel and a battalion is constituted by 10 companies.

The Ministry formally conveyed the availability of the forces' personnel to the Election Commission after the latter asked the Home Ministry to make available 100 battalions (one lakh personnel) for deployment during the Assembly elections likely to be held in the next two months.

Besides the Central forces, the police forces of all States will also be at the disposal of the Election Commission for election duties.

Apart from the top officials of the Union Home Ministry, senior CRPF officials and the Chairman of the Railway Board also took part in the high level meet convened by the Election Commission during which forces' deployment and their movement was discussed in detail, the sources said.

CRPF is the Lead Central force for poll duties and the Election Commission relies on the Central forces for recording the poll percentage at the polling booths.

Apart from UP, Uttarakhand and Punjab, the polls also expected in Goa and Manipur within the next few weeks.

The schedule for the polls in the five States is likely to be announced by the Commission soon.

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