The Election Commission will hold a second round of discussions on Wednesday with Union Home Ministry officials on the deployment of central police forces (CPF) and police from neighbouring States for the Assembly polls in Maharashtra and Arunachal Pradesh.
As the Commission has also got a copy of Haryana Governor Jagannath Pahadia’s notification dissolving the Assembly with effect from August 21 holding of polls there and the requirement of CPF is also likely to come up.
The Commission sources said a team led by Union Home Secretary G.K. Pillai would participate in the discussions at the Nirvachan Sadan here.
Though there was no major naxal violence in Maharashtra during the recent Lok Sabha elections, the rebels are still active in at least six of total 35 districts in the State. Chandrapur, Gadchiroli, Gondia, Yavatmal, Nanded and Bandara districts have borders either with Andhra Pradesh or Madhya Pradesh. Strategies to be adopted to keep the naxals under check will be worked out.
Considering the huge geographical area of the State and threat from naxals and terrorists, the number of CPF companies required in Maharashtra, in addition to the 1.6-lakh State police force, would be much higher, the sources said.
In Arunachal Pradesh, consisting of 16 districts, militant groups such as National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah) and NSCN (Unification) are active in Tirap and Changlang districts. The United Liberation Front of Asom also has a presence there. These factors will be considered while taking a decision on security, the sources said.
