New Delhi: Around 80,000 paramilitary personnel, apart from state policemen, are expected to be deployed during the multi-phased assembly elections in five states early next year.
The Home Ministry today conveyed to the Election
Commission that it was ready to provide 700 to 800 companies
(70,000-80,000 personnel) of paramilitary forces to Uttar
Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur in conduct the
polls likely to be held between February-March.
The hour-long high-level meeting was attended by Chief
Election Commissioner SY Quraishi, Election Commissioners VS
Sampath and HS Brahma, Union Home Secretary RK Singh and
other senior officers, official sources said.
Since the polling would be held in several phases, the
Home Ministry told the EC that it was preparing itself
accordingly and make available the security personnel whenever
required, they said.
The highest number of paramilitary personnel is expected
to be deployed in politically sensitive Uttar Pradesh, the
country`s most populous state with 403 Assembly
constituencies. Polling in the state is expected to be held in
five phases.
While Punjab, Uttarakhand and Goa saw relatively less
number of violence in past elections, Manipur, which has been
plagued by insurgency for a long time, may need heavy
deployment of forces to ensure peaceful polling.
The four states are likely to have one-phase polling.
PTI
