Election Commission to deploy 150 IPS officers as observers during polls

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission is likely to deploy around 150 senior IPS officers as observers in five poll-bound states for strict monitoring of law and order situation during the elections.

The IPS officers will be drawn from different states across the country and deployed in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur during the assembly elections beginning January 28, official sources said.

"The police officers will strictly monitor the law and order situation in the area of their deployment. They will report directly to the EC and if necessary, they will give on the spot directive to ensure peaceful and fair polling," a source said.

Before their deployment, the officers will get a pre-deployment briefing from the EC officials about their task, the dos and don'ts and how to conduct themselves with close coordination with local police.

Around 80,000 paramilitary personnel, apart from state policemen, are expected to be deployed during the multi-phased assembly elections in five states.

EC had announced a seven-phased election schedule for UP between February 4 and 28, single-phase Punjab and Uttarakhand polling on January 30. Manipur will go to poll on January 28 and Goa on March 3. The counting of votes in all the states will be held together on March 4.

The highest number of paramilitary personnel is expected to be deployed in politically sensitive Uttar Pradesh, the country's most populous state with 403 Assembly constituencies.

While Punjab, Uttarakhand and Goa saw relatively less violence in past elections, Manipur, which has been plagued by insurgency for a long time, may need heavy deployment of forces to ensure peaceful polling.