Assembly polls: 32,000 central forces for Gujarat, 10,000 for Himachal

As per EC requirement, around 320 companies of central armed police forces are likely to be deployed in Gujarat

More than 32,000 personnel from the central armed forces such as the CRPF and the BSF, and around 55,000 from the state police are expected to be deployed for the upcoming Gujarat assembly elections, an official said on Tuesday.

For the Himachal Pradesh polls on November 9, around 10,000 personnel from central armed police forces and 14,000 from the state police are expected to be deployed.

As per the requirement of the Election Commission, around 320 companies of central armed police forces are likely to be deployed in Gujarat and 100 companies of security personnel in Himachal Pradesh, a senior government official privy to the development told PTI.

Several rounds of deliberations between the poll panel and the Union Home Ministry have taken place, and the total number of security personnel to be deployed in the poll-bound states will be finalised once the schedule for the Gujarat assembly elections is declared, the official said.

Around 55,000 state police personnel are likely to be deployed in Gujarat and 14,000 state police personnel are expected to be deployed in Himachal Pradesh.

Elections to the 68-member Himachal Pradesh assembly will be held on November 9, while the schedule for the 182-member Gujarat assembly is expected to be announced within the next few days.