UP finds difficult to send back Central forces

Lucknow, May 10 (UNI) The Uttar Pradesh government is finding it difficult to send back the over 650 companies of central para military forces (CPMF) deployed for the smooth conduct of seven phase assembly elections following shortage of trains.

While the state government had sought 50 trains for the purpose, it has been provided with only 14 trains. ''Now we have demanded additional coaches to be attached with several trains for the smooth de-induction of CPMF personnel,'' said a Home department official here.

The state government now plans to send back forces from neighbouring Bihar, Jharkhand, Haryana and Punjab by buses, instead of trains.

Out of a total of 659 companies -- roughly 59, 500 men -- 209 companies have been detained for security at counting centres.

Counting will take place from 0700 hrs tomorrow and results are expected by evening.

Three sections -- roughly 30 men -- of CMPF have been deployed at each of the 70 districts for security of electronic voting machines (EVMs).

The Election Commission had made mandatory deployment of Central Para Military Forces (CPMF) at polling stations by 1700 hrs on the eve of voting in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

As all 659 companies were deployed in each phase, and 40 to 50 centres were identified for their stay in each of the 70 districts.

A total of 2,200 buses were used to transport Central security personnel for each phase. The forces had reached the State from far off places such as Kerala, Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir by train.

UNI