Presidential elections 2022: Z category security cover for Yashwant Sinha

New Delhi, Jun 24: The Centre has accorded Z category cover of armed CRPF commandos to the opposition's presidential candidate Yashwant Sinha on Friday. Sinha is expected to file his nomination on June 27 following which he will travel across the country seeking votes in his favor.

The squad has taken over the task after the Union home ministry directed the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) VIP security wing to ensure the protection of the 84-year-old Sinha.

The armed personnel, about eight to ten working in shifts, will escort Sinha whenever he moves across the country, they said.

A higher Z-plus cover of CRPF commandos has also been accorded to the NDA presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu.

The presidential election would be held on July 18 to elect a successor to incumbent Ram Nath Kovind and the result would be out on July 21.

Born on 6 November 1937, Yashwant Sinha is a former Indian administrator, politician and a former Minister of Finance (1990-1991 under Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar and March 1998 - July 2002 under Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee) and Minister of External Affairs (July 2002 - May 2004).

He was a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party before he quit the party on 21 April 2018.