Chennai: The Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer, Rajesh Lakhoni, on Monday demanded additional para-military personnel for the Assembly polls on May 16.
According to election department sources, the top brass of Election Commission reviewed the security and safety arrangements with CEOs of five states — Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala, West Bengal and Assam — which are going to the polls.
During the meeting, Lakhoni demanded additional central paramilitary force for Tamil Nadu. “We may get more than what was obtained for last Assembly election. Last election, 240 companies were allotted to Tamil Nadu and this time, the deployment will be more,” Lakhoni said.
Local district election officers have already been instructed to rope in ex-servicemen, NSS and NCC coordinators for poll work to augment the strength based on requirement. Besides, private videographers and those with web camera knowledge can also be engaged, the sources said.
Each company will consist of a Deputy Superintendent of police, an inspector, three sub-inspectors and 86 constables. Discussions are underway with Southern Railway about logistics. If required, there will be a special train to translocate the para-military personnel.
The companies will also have dhobi, cook and helpers. State police personnel will provide security along the approach roads leading to polling booths and the central force will guard the polling booths. All strong rooms and counting stations will be completely under the control of central force, sources said.
For the last Lok Sabha polls, the State got nearly 120 companies of central paramilitary personnel from Central Reserve Police Force, Central Industrial Security Force, Border Security Force and Railway Protection Force, the sources said.
