ITANAGAR, March 18: The Election Commission has deployed 75 companies of central paramilitary forces to conduct free and fair simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly polls in Arunachal Pradesh, a senior election official said on Monday.
In addition, the available police force in the state would also be pressed into service for election duties, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Pawan Kumar Sain told reporters here.
He said the CPMF companies (a company comprises around 100 personnel) have been deployed in all the districts of the state, and they have started the area dominance exercise in various critical and vulnerable polling stations.
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The northeastern state will go to simultaneous polls in the first phase on April 19.
“Out of the total 2,226 polling stations in the state, 480 polling booths are under shadow areas, while 588 booths have been identified as critical and 443 as vulnerable,” the CEO said.
Shadow zones or areas have poor or no mobile and internet connectivity.
Sain said webcasting and enabling communication on real-time environment (ENCORE) would be available in 750 polling stations, while offline webcasting facility would feature in 342 polling stations.
He said the state election machinery has so far seized Rs 3,88,34,496 in cash from various districts and recovered 378 unlicensed arms.
“Out of 33,996 licensed arms in the state, people have deposited 2,400 arms in various police stations as of date,” the CEO said.
“We will ensure free and fair polling without any violence, and will not tolerate any violation of the model code of conduct (MCC). We have already suspended an additional deputy commissioner and a senior government official for favouring candidates,” Sain said.
He said the election authorities have also decided to make use of helicopters for transportation of poll personnel and materials to several remote circles if weather conditions are favourable in April.
“There are altogether 228 polling stations in the state that could be reached only by foot march,” the CEO said.
There are a total of 8,86,848 voters in the state, including 4,49,050 females.
He said out of the total 2,226 polling booths, 156 would be managed entirely by women.
The notification for the simultaneous polls in Arunachal Pradesh would be issued on March 20, while the last date for filing nomination papers is March 27. The last date for withdrawal of nominations is March 30.
The counting of votes for the assembly polls would take place on June 2, and for the Lok Sabha polls, on June 4.
The state has two Lok Sabha seats and a 60-member assembly. (PTI)
