Assembly polls will be conducted smoothly: Duggal

Jalandhar, Dec 5 (UNI) Union Home Secretary V K Duggal today expressed confidence that the assembly elections due to be held early next year in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal and Manipur would be conducted in a smooth and peaceful manner.

Talking to reporters here, Mr Duggal said the government was confident of holding peaceful and smooth elections in the four states as it did earlier in several other states.

Mr Duggal said the assembly elections in states like Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir and Asom were held successfully in an unprecedented peaceful manner and now a confident administrative machinery saw no problem in repeating the feat in assembly elections in other four states which would go to poll early next year.

On the question of deployment of central para military forces, Mr Duggal said the central forces would be provided to states keeping in view their demand and requirements.

The requirement and demand of the CPMF for elections in Punjab would be discussed at a meeting of state government officers in Chandigarh tomorrow.

Mr Duggal also expressed satisfaction over general situation of internal security and law and order in Punjab and said he saw no reason for worry of any sort.

He said terrorism was well under control in this state.

UNI SS RP ND1750