Punjab seeks 4,000 CSFs for Assembly polls

Chief Secretary KR Lakhanpal said that the state government had asked for 43 battalions of central forces from the EC.

Punjab has sought nearly 4,000 central security forces for duty during the assembly elections scheduled to be held on February 13 and constituencies of stalwarts of all parties would be declared most sensitive.

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Chief Secretary KR Lakhanpal told reporters in Ludhiana on Sunday that the state government had asked for 43 battalions of central forces from the Election Commission for the purpose.

Forty thousand personnel of the state police will be deployed in addition to these central forces for the smooth conduct of the polls, he added.

Lakhanpal said a total of 25 per cent of the polling booths had been marked sensitive according to the new criteria laid down by the Election Commission.

In order to avoid any misgivings in respect of stalwarts of different political parties contesting the elections, their constituencies will be declared most sensitive, Lakhanpal said.

Apart from the fact that Punjab has a tradition of peaceful polling, the electorate in this state are so alert regarding their rights that they take no time in bringing to the notice of the authorities wherever they discern any malpractice.