190 companies of CAPF, 19000 Home Guards, 42000 police personnel deployed for Delhi polls

Elaborate security arrangements have been made for the smooth conduct of Delhi Assembly polls with the deployment of 190 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF).

Also, 19,000 Home Guards and 42,000 Delhi Police personnel will be deployed at polling booths.

"We have been putting 190 companies of CAPF who are regularly patrolling to ensure peace and tranquility," said Praveer Ranjan, Special Commissioner (Intelligence), Delhi Police while talking to ANI.

The seven main divisions of CAPF are Assam Rifles, Border Security Force (BSF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), National Security Guards (NSG) and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).

Apart from it, there would be additional staff from PCR traffic and communication in addition to the staff deployed to man the polling booths.

"Roughly 68,000 Delhi police personnel will be deployed for the election duty," he said.

All five polling stations in Shaheen Bagh have been declared "critical" by Delhi Chief Electoral Officer.

Delhi CEO Ranbir Singh, Praveer Ranjan, and observers went to Shaheen Bagh to take the stalk of the current situation of that area.

"I went to Shaheen Bagh and I did not find any obstruction in the proceeding of the election. There are 40 booths out of which five polling stations which have been tagged critical," said Ranbir Singh.

Shaheen Bagh sit-in protest took a new dimension on Saturday after a 25-years-old man named Kapil Gujjar shot twice in the air.

Looking forward to a peaceful a confidence-building exercise is also going on through regularly patrolling and marching in sensitive areas. Senior-most officers of Delhi Police and other agencies are also visiting the place to take all necessary precautions.

"Apart from CAPF deployment, we are also putting a lot of reserves on patrols in that area and in other areas of Delhi," said Ranjan.

"People in support of the sit-in or against have been coming regularly. We are trying to hold negotiations with them. Trying to convince people to do it in democratic manner and so far we did not have any problem apart from two incidents," he added.

It is to be noted that during the 2019 General Elections, 47 companies of CAPF were deployed. However, the Delhi Assembly Election has seen an escalation in CAPF deployment almost four times making it 190 companies.

"These are much intensely fought Election. We are realising the sensitivity, background (such as protests) and the temper for which extra deployment was needed," said the official.

A total number of 3141 critical polling stations have been identified along with 144 vulnerable polling stations and 102 Expenditure Sensitive Pockets.