STATE TIMES NEWS
New Delhi: The Election Commission on Friday held meetings with top Home Ministry and Railway officials on the deployment and movement of security personnel across the country ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, sources said.
The EC top brass is also learnt to have discussed with home ministry officials the possibility of holding assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir alongside state assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.
While the Supreme Court had in December last directed the EC to hold assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir by September 30, there was no official word on whether assembly polls in J-K can be held with Lok Sabha polls expected to take place in April-May.
The terms of the state assemblies of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim end on different dates in June and state elections there will be held alongside Lok Sabha polls.
Whenever assembly elections are held in J-K, they will be the first since Article 370 of the Constitution were abrogated and Jammu and Kashmir was divided into two Union territories in 2019.
The electoral exercise in Jammu and Kashmir is usually spread over a month.
Following the delimitation, the number of assembly seats has gone up from 83 to 90, excluding the seats allocated to Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.
In December last, the Supreme Court had directed the poll panel to hold assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir by September 30.
During the meetings, the poll panel is learnt to have underlined the need for timely movement of central forces being deployed for election duty.
The Commission is also learnt to have stressed the need for good coaches in trains which will be used for the movement of security personnel. It also pressed for food on board such trains.
The poll panel was represented by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and fellow Election Commissioner Arun Goel, and other senior officials.
During the deliberations, the EC insisted on meeting the deadline of early next week for “advanced induction” of security personnel.
The Commission also demanded sufficient number of helicopters for deployment of central forces in difficult terrain, including areas affected by Left Wing Extremism.
The poll panel has also asked for cashless treatment of personnel in case of injury or other medical emergencies during poll duty deployment.
The meeting comes days before the Commission is likely to announce schedule for the Lok Sabha elections.
The crucial deliberations also come days ahead of the Commission’s Jammu and Kashmir visit early next week to review poll preparedness.
The EC has sought 3.4 lakh Central Armed Police Force personnel for Lok Sabha and four assembly polls.
With nearly 97 crore voters, the EC would set up approximately 12.5 lakh polling stations across India.
Last time Lok Sabha polls were announced on March 10 and were held in seven phases beginning April 11. Votes were counted on May 23.
