As general elections approach, the Election Commission of India on February 14 sanctioned 635 paramilitary forces companies to Jammu and Kashmir and 57 to Ladakh in order to ensure a peaceful election process for six Lok Sabha seats in the two Union Territories.
Significantly, Jammu and Kashmir, with only five Lok Sabha seats, would employ 635 paramilitary companies for the April-May polls, the second biggest number after West Bengal, which will deploy 920 units.
Uttar Pradesh, which holds the most number of Lok Sabha seats at 80, would have 252 paramilitary companies.
A comprehensive document from the Election Commission of India reveals that the UT of Chandigarh will get at least 11 companies.
"A combined 3400 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) are expected to be mobilized in all the union territories and states in a gradual process to ensure the conduct of open, transparent, and safe parliamentary elections," read the official document.
Jammu and Kashmir, which is often targeted by Pakistan-based militant outfits such as Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), is allo the highest number of CAPF companies to ensure peaceful elections.
Since 2014, assembly elections, panchayat elections, or urban local body elections have not been held in UT.
Based on the Election Commission decision, 36 of the 635 paramilitary companies allocated to Jammu and Kashmir will be kept to guard Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs)/Strong Rooms and count centres.
The Union Territory of Ladakh, which is quiet and has only one Lok Sabha seat, has been given 57 more paramilitary companies.
One company will be maintained for EVM/Strong Room security and counting centre arrangements.
"The Election Commission has evaluated the requests made by the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of all States and Union Territories and decided to deploy a maximum of approximately 3400 CAPF companies in all States and Union Territories in a phased manner to ensure the conduct of free, fair, and peaceful elections," reads the ECI order.
Similarly, in the Union Territory of Ladakh, Yetindra M Maralker will be the overall in charge, with DIG Sheikh Junaid Mahmood serving as the State Police Nodal Officer for CAPF deployments.
"The number of CAPF companies assigned to a State/UT represents the maximum mobilization to be deployed during any given phase of elections and kept after polling is completed. The Commission will provide details on advance deployment of CAPFs in due course, by the deployment timescales specified in the EC order.”
The Commission has also ordered the Chairman of the Railway Board to provide a suitable number of rolling stocks with all necessary facilities in the trains, ensuring hassle-free mobilization and timely movement of forces to carry out election duties.
Jammu and Kashmir has five Lok Sabha seats, whilst Ladakh has one. In the 2019 parliamentary elections, both UTs were part of the former state of Jammu and Kashmir, accounting for six Lok Sabha seats.
In Jammu and Kashmir, in addition to the Udhampur and Jammu Parliamentary seats, the BJP is concentrating on the Anantnag-Poonch-Rajouri constituency, which has a substantial number of Pahari voters who were recently granted Scheduled Tribe (ST) status by the Central Government.
Follow us
