On January 8th, Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra said sufficient CAPF companies would be deployed in all poll-bound states looking at law & order situation and threat perception. S Karuna Raju, Chief Electoral Officer of Punjab, said that 75 companies of Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) had been allotted for Punjab. Out of these 75, 50 would reach the state on January 10.
He added once these companies reach Punjab, they would start area domination operations. Furthermore, he held meetings with Deputy Commissioners-cum-District Electoral Officers (DCs-cum-DEOs) and police commissioner and SSPs and issued directions for strict implementation of the Model Code of Conduct.
Sufficient CAPF companies will be deployed in all poll-bound states looking at law & order situation and threat perception: Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra pic.twitter.com/mKcQGhFHYn
— ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2022
Approx 500 companies of CAPF including CRPF, BSF, ITBP, CISF and SSB, comprising of around 50,000 troops, are being mobilised in the initial phase in the poll-bound states. In the coming days, additional 100-150 companies could be added if required. Uttar Pradesh, which has the maximum Assembly seats (403), will get 150 companies to avoid any unwanted incident during the elections.
Free Press Journal quoted a UP police official said, “Thirty Companies of Border Security Force (BSF) and Sashastra Seema Bal, 20 companies of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), and Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), 50 companies of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) have been included in the total companies of 150 Central Armed Police Forces which are being provided by the Centre.”
He further added, “The centre is providing these agencies so that election could be conducted in a fair and efficient manner. We will get the service of these companies by January 10. It will also reduce the sensitivity and vulnerability during the polls. We hope that the elections will be conducted in a fair manner.”
The CAPF companies will be deployed in each district based on the sensitivity and vulnerability of the districts. The earmarked companies for the state of UP would start taking their positions from January 10. These companies would carry out area domination exercises and provide additional security to the polling booths. It is noteworthy that the EC has increased the number of polling booths by 16 per cent amidst the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic to ensure social distancing.
Elections in five states
On January 8, the Election Commission announced the poll schedule for five state assemblies, including Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa. While Punjab, Uttarkhand and Goa elections will be done in a single phase, the elections of Manipur will be completed in two phases and that of Uttar Pradesh in seven phases.
In all five states, around 18.3 crore people are eligible to vote, including 8.55 crore women.
