ECI, MHA discuss deployment of central forces for LS elections
economictimes.indiatimes.comElection Commission of India on Friday held a meeting with the Ministry of Home Affairs to take stock of security requirements for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar and election commissioner Arun Goel held a meeting with Union home secretary Ajay Bhalla to discuss deployment of central forces for the general elections. It is gathered that officials from the Ministry of Railways were also part of the deliberations in order to plan smooth movement of central forces across the country.
The discussions come just ahead of the commission members' visit to Jammu & Kashmir next week. The deliberations will help in scheduling Lok Sabha and assembly polls in the Union Territory. Kumar and Goel are scheduled to visit Jammu and Kashmir on March 12-13.
ECI has earlier written to Union home ministry seeking deployment of around 3,400 companies of paramilitary forces for election-related duties, such as area dominance, confidence-building measures and guarding EVMs, strongrooms and counting centres. Maximum deployment of 920 CAPF (Central Armed Police Forces) companies is for West Bengal, followed by 635 for Jammu and Kashmir, where Lok Sabha elections will be held for the first time after abrogation of Article 370 and delimitation of constituencies.
(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)
Read more on economictimes.indiatimes.com
