Polls: Centre sends 25,000 paramilitary, police personnel for CG, MP and Rajasthan

Putting in place security arrangements for the upcoming polls in three states, the Union Home Ministry has ordered for the deployment of about 25,000 troops for election duties in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, a latest directive said.

These paramilitary and state police personnel, part of the additional 250 companies to be sent in for the polls, have been asked to take position by October 15 in states assigned to them.

While 50 fresh companies each have been marked to be sent to Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, an order accessed by PTI said, the highest of 150 such teams have been earmarked by the ministry to be sent to Chhattisgarh that has its southern part affected by a high-level threat of Maoist violence.

A single state police or Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) company has about 100 personnel.

While dates for Assembly polls in these states are yet to be declared by the Election Commission (EC), the Home Ministry has asked the forces and respective state governments to get these units "inducted" by the first fortnight of this month for "area domination to ensure peaceful conduct of polls."
For the forces marked for Chhattisgarh, the ministry has issued specific directions that they should "carry their own night vision devices, communication equipments like satellite phones, bullet proof jackets, GPS systems and armoured vehicles as far as possible for safety and other operational requirements."