The deployment of paramilitary forces has begun, ahead of the announcement of the Lok Sabha elections. At least 430 BSF companies, 155 from CISF and 500 companies from CRPF will be deployed in the first week of March, as initial deployment is scheduled for March 1 to 7.
The Election Commission of India has sought 3,40,000 paramilitary personnel to conduct the polls this year. The troops will also be used for the assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim, officials said.
It is yet to be announced if simultaneous elections will also be held in Jammu and Kashmir. The Supreme Court has ordered for assembly elections in the union territory by September 30.
In 2019, three lakh paramilitary and 20 lakh state police forces were deployed to conduct phased elections. This included 1,387 companies from CRPF, 550 from BSF, 208 from CISF, 244 from SSB, 210 from ITBP, 79 from RPF and 448 from others.
J&K and West Bengal could get maximum deployment
According to a communication between the ministry of home affairs and the EC, maximum deployment of central forces has been sought for West Bengal as well as Jammu and Kashmir. The poll body has requested for 920 paramilitary companies for West Bengal and 635 for Jammu and Kashmir. Naxal-affected Chhattisgarh could have deployment of at least 360 companies.
The EC has sought 295 companies for Bihar; 252 in Uttar Pradesh; 250 each in Andhra Pradesh, Punjab and Jharkhand; 200 each in Gujarat, Manipur, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu; 175 in Odisha; 160 each in Assam and Telangana; 150 in Maharashtra; 113 in Madhya Pradesh; 100 in Tripura; 95 in Haryana; 75 in Arunachal Pradesh; 70 each in Karnataka, Uttarakhand and Delhi; 66 in Kerala; 57 in Ladakh; 55 in Himachal Pradesh; 48 in Nagaland; 45 in Meghalaya; 17 in Sikkim;15 in Mizoram; 14 in Dadra and Nagar Haveli; 12 in Goa; 11 in Chandigarh; 10 in Puducherry; five in Andaman and Nicobar; and three in Lakshadweep.
Securing booths to area domination
Other than security of polling booths on voting day, central forces will be deployed for area domination in states like Chhattisgarh, Manipur and UTs like J&K. Prior deployment will also help forces get acquainted with the area, for confidence-building measures, guarding electronic voting machines and strongroom centres. Securing counting centres after polling is over will also be a mandate for the deployed forces.
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