70,000 CPMF personnel to be deployed in phase I UP poll

Lucknow, Mar 22 (UNI) About 70,000 Central Para Military Force (CPMF) personnel would be deployed during the first phase of Uttar Pradesh assembly election in 62 constituencies in 13 districts on April 7.

The CPMFs would start reaching UP from March 26, while the deployment would be completed by April 2, Principal Secretary (Home) K Chandramauli told reporters here this evening.

The forces would be reaching here from various states, including Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat and Kerala, and would remian here till the election is over, he added.

On an average, each district going to the polls would have deployment of about 5,500 personnel at the polling booths with state police manning from the outside.

Of a total of 657 companies of central forces, about 50 companies would alight here at six places on March 26 fanning from there to places of deployment, he said.

It would be ensured the forces reach the place of deployment before 1700 hrs on the preceding day of polling failing which the polling would not take place as per the Election Commission directives.

Elaborate arrangements have been made at the district headquarters for lodging of forces with erection of 40-50 centres in each district. Thereafter, over 2,000 buses would be plied to transport them to places going under poll in the next phase of assembly poll.

UP assembly poll would have seven phases of polling on April 7, 13, 18, 23, 28 and May 3 and 8 followed by counting of votes on May 11.

UNI