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Uttarakhand seeks additional police force

Seeks help from neighbouring States of U.P., Himachal

Dehra Dun: Chief Election Commissioner N. Gopalaswami on Tuesday said there was a shortage of police and home guards required for the smooth conduct of Assembly elections in Uttarakhand.

After reviewing poll arrangements for the February 21 Assembly elections in the hill State, Gopalswami told reporters that Uttarakhand has sought 4,500 police personnel and 11,000 home guards from the neighbouring States of Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh. In addition, central paramilitary forces would also be deployed in the State.

For the smooth conduct of elections, Gopalaswami said that the directives have been issued to District Magistrates and Senior Superintendents of Police of the border districts to take stringent steps to check the entry of unwanted elements.

The CEC said a total of 451 non-bailable warrants are being executed against the goonda elements.

Lauding the efforts of the State election authorities, he said 70 teams are closely monitoring the election process in Uttarakhand.

So far, 13 FIRs against various politicians have been registered and nearly 1,000 hoardings of political parties have also been removed, he added.

Referring to photo identity cards, the CEC said till date 81 per cent photo ID cards have been issued and the District Magistrates have assured the Commission that the figure will go up to 90 per cent shortly.

"We will be reviewing the photo ID card process after February 7 during which we will decide whether the use of alternative documents can be permitted on the polling day," he said.

As per the latest figures, the CEC said there are 60.42 lakh voters in the State where 7,508 polling stations and 5,403 polling premises have been set up.

He said since some of the polling stations are located in the snow-bound areas, the EC would press helicopters for carrying poll materials including Electronic Voting Machines. -- PTI

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Uttarakhand seeks additional police force

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