60,000 forces to be deployed in poll-bound states

, Sept 20:The Assembly elections in the five states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Delhi and Mizoram are knocking at the door and so is the need to beef-up

. After reviewing the situation in the above-mentioned states the Union home ministry has told the Election Commission that it is ready to provide the required number of security personnel for the forthcoming polls, apart from the police forces.

The Center is likely to deploy close to 60,000 paramilitary forces now for the smooth conduct of the polls. "Around 58 to 60 battalions of paramilitary forces will be required for election duties in the five states," an official from the home ministry said. A battalion comprises of around 1,000 personnel.

The Ministry of Home Affairs is alert to the possibility of Naxal attacks in LWE-affected states like Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh where elections will be held in phases. The issue has already been discussed by the Chief Election Commissioner V.S. Sampath and the two election commissioners H.S. Brahma and Nasim Zaidi in a meeting with the Union home secretary Anil Goswami and other senior officers.