“There are indications of getting 20 companies of additional paramilitary forces for the ADC election to be held on May 3”, said State Election Commissioner (SEC) YP Singh here. The State Government had urged the Ministry of Home Affairs to provide additional forces to conduct the poll peacefully as the poll-bound areas fall under the Disturbed Area Act.
Singh said that the additional troops would be arriving here well before the elections to take the responsibility. As of now, as many as 54 companies of CRPF are deployed in different operational areas of the State. Besides, 90 companies of BSF were engaged along the Indo-Bangla border.
Of the total polling stations, two-third were identified as very vulnerable and vulnerable in security point of view. As per the decision, the very vulnerable and vulnerable booths will be guarded by the paramilitary forces.
Singh said that if the situation arises the Commission might use helicopter to ferry polling personnel to remotest polling booths. Two booths in Kanchanpur subdivision and four booths in Gandacherra subdivision were identified as remotest polling booths. He made it clear thathelicopter would be provided only to take back the polling personnel from the remotest booths.
