COPS, FORCES READY FOR POLLING IN LKO, 8 OTHER DISTS

LUCKNOW : Over 881 companies of paramilitary forces, armed police as well as nearly 1.26 lakh civil police personnel, home guards, Prantiya Rakshak Dal (PRD) jawans and village guards have been deployed for free and fair polling in 59 assembly constituencies of nine districts that go to polls in the fourth phase on Wednesday, said UP Police officials on Tuesday. The deployment has been done strategically at polling centres, booths and in vulnerable localities while quick response teams, flying squads and static squads have been posted to avert any trouble.

Three assembly constituencies – Hussainganj, Fatehpur and Bindki – are considered to be sensitive and special deployment has been made there. Special deployment has also been made in 590 localities considered to be vulnerable and on 3,393 ‘critical’ polling booths in 59 constituencies, said Prashant Kumar, ADG (law and order).

He said polling will be conducted at 13,813 polling centres and 24,580 polling booths under 208 police station limits of nine districts, including Lucknow, Fatehpur, Banda, Pilibhit, Hardoi, Lakhimpur Kheri, Rae Bareli, Sitapur and Unnao. As many as 137 pink booths have been set up for women voters while at least 36 women inspectors, sub-inspectors as well as 277 women head constables and constables have been deployed, added the ADG. The ADG said 800.50 companies of paramilitary forces were deployed for booth duties, four companies for security of 12 strong rooms and 52.78 companies for law and order duty, including 23.11 for quick response teams, 10 for checking at 60 inter-state and international barriers, 9.83 for flying squad duties and rest for static squads.

In addition to paramilitary forces, 21 companies of PAC are deployed in different vulnerable localities and other places strategically. Around 7,022 inspectors and sub-inspectors, 58,132 head constables and constables, 50,490 home guards, 1,850 PRD personnel and 8,486 village guards are also deployed on polling duties.