78,000 paramilitary personnel mobilised ahead of assembly polls in 5 states

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Over 78,000 paramilitary personnel have been mobilised by the Union Home Ministry for deployment in the ongoing assembly elections in five states, officials said Monday.

The action has been taken following several rounds of discussions with the Election Commission, which directed the home ministry to provide adequate forces under its disposal.

A total of 785 companies of paramilitary forces have been mobilised for deployment in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram and Telangana for the assembly polls, a home ministry official said.

One company of paramilitary comprises around 100 personnel.

While the two-phased assembly elections have already been held in Chhattisgarh, polling in Madhya Pradesh and Mizoram will be held on November 28 and in Rajasthan and Telangana on December 7.

The highest number of paramilitary personnel -- around 40,000 -- were deployed in Chhattisgarh which are now being withdrawn to be deployed in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh, the official said.

The paramilitary forces were being drawn from different parts of the country and they are being transported through several trains provided by the Ministry of Railways, another official said.