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