1903 booths in problematic areas; tight security, Central forces to be deployed in Maoist-infested areas

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: 1903 out of 25,231 polling booths in the state are in problematic areas. 742 booths are in the worst problematic areas. Most of these booths are in the northern districts which are facing Maoist threat. Four Central Force personnel will be deployed in each A-category booth which is considered to be the most trouble-prone. In B-category booths where the potential for trouble is less severe, there will be two Central Force personnel and extra police force. Strong security arrangements have been made in all the polling centers including here.

7500 central forces in 62 companies have reached Kerala to provide tight security for the elections. Forces have been deployed in all districts. Strong rooms where electronic voting machines are kept are under CRPF security. Central forces will also be deployed in Maoist-infested areas. 30,500 police personnel will be deployed for security. 20 companies of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka Police will also reach Kerala. 5,000 personnel from the armed forces, 10,000 special police officers including ex-servicemen and retirees, and more than 2,000 excise, forest and home guard personnel will be deployed for security. Police will be present at all the booths. Armed forces will be deployed in booths away from populated areas.

Webcasting system in 22,956 polling booths

There will be a webcasting facility in all the booths in Kasaragod, Kannur, Wayanad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Palakkad, Thrissur and Thiruvananthapuram districts in the background of false voting and violence. Webcasting system was been enforced in 75 percent of the booths in the rest of the districts. Group patrols, police pickets and surveillance system will be provided for security. Central forces will also be deployed for law and order, crowd control and voter assistance. Central forces will conduct route march in problem areas and where there is law and order problem. Central force deployment will be as per the scheme approved by the Center for Election Security. The Central Force will act as per the orders of the SP or the Sub-Divisional Officers.