Paramilitary for TN poll duty to arrive on Feb 25

The first batch of 45 companies of Central Paramilitary Force to handle state Assembly elections will report here on February 25, Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo said in a press note on Friday. Adequate requirements have been demanded and the Union government has dispatched the first batch of uniformed force and they will be deployed across the state, Sahoo said.

According to official sources, the uniformed personnel will assist the flying and static surveillance squads that seizes cash for votes and they will also guard the polling stations, counting centres and the EVM machines, when the election work starts.

Opposition parties have demanded the Election Commission to deploy more outstation police personnel to curtail the inducement to voters and this is one of the reason for the EC to insist on early protection to the poll-bound state, sources said.

According to an informed public election department source, the EC has already completed the first round of preparation works in regard to the security arrangements. Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora recently conducted separate meetings with the home secretary, state DGP and CEO to evaluate the police requirements for poll works. Usually, a two-tier security system is arranged at the time of polling.

Meanwhile, the public election department officials have also started collecting intelligence related to the high-value cash transfers and are in touch with private and nationalised bank officials, official sources said adding that in a month’s time the election model code will come into force.