30,000 cops to ensure peaceful Delhi civic polls

New Delhi, April 12 (IANS) A total of 30,000 armed police personnel will be deployed during Sunday's civic polls across 11,572 polling booths in the capital.

Besides, 60 companies of paramilitary and reserve police force will be roped in to ensure free and fair elections in the city.

"A total of 11,572 polling booths organised in 2,647 premises will be guarded by 15,000 Delhi Police personnel and 15,000 Home Guards. Thirty companies each from reserve police force and paramilitary forces will also be deployed," Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Dharmendra Kumar told IANS.

Kumar said that of the 15,000 Home Guards, around 5,000 Home Guards will be taken from Uttar Pradesh police while 4,000 will be from Haryana and around 6,000 will be deputed from Delhi Police.

"The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will provide 30 companies of paramilitary forces while 30 companies of reserve police forces will be deputed by Delhi Police itself," said Kumar.

For the conduct of elections, 80,000 polling staff will be deployed.

Delhi Election Commission has declared 272 polling booths as sensitive and 54 as hyper sensitive.

"One constable and one home guard will be present at every booth while one head constable, three constables and one home guard will be deployed at every sensitive booth. One head constable and six constables will be deputed at hyper sensitive booths," said Kumar.

An Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) will be deputed in premises that have more than 11 polling booths inside.

A total of 32 Additional Deputy Commissioners of Police and Deputy Commissioners of Police and 77 ACPs along with 15 inspectors will assist the force.

"The security personnel will be stationed at booths by Saturday midnight and the voting machines will be installed by 5 a.m. Sunday. The ground security will be present on the road by 8 a.m. Sunday," said Kumar.

Security and intelligence in and around the railway stations, Inter State Bus Terminuses (ISBTs) has also been beefed up.

All the 11 district police station house officers (SHOs) have been asked to issue notices under section 107 of CrPC (security for maintaining the peace) and section 150 of CrPC (information of design to commit cognizable offences) to all the potential trouble mongers.

"Till date we have registered around 19 cases for MCD election related disputes. Except for the murder of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker by his party rivals on Tuesday all others were petty crimes," added Kumar.

According to Kumar on April 17, the date of counting, a total of 11 companies of Border Security Force (BSF) will be deployed at 32 counting centres.