NEW DELHI: With the Election Commission of India (ECI) announcing the assembly polls schedule for Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has begun the process of moving troops in the UT.
MHA has asked the chiefs of the paramilitary forces to retain more than 500 companies currently deployed for the Amarnath Yatra for ‘advance deployment, officials said on Sunday.
On Friday the ECI announced the dates for holding three-phase assembly polls in Jammu & Kashmir and single-phase voting for electing 90 MLAs in the Haryana Assembly.
In J&K voting will take place on September 18 and 25 and on October 1, whereas in Haryana it will take place on October 1. The counting of votes in J&K and Haryana will take place on October 4.
The officials said, keeping the polls in sensitive J&K in mind the MHA in its first communication has asked the forces to retain more than 500 companies (Comprising 50,000 troops) currently deployed for the Amarnath Yatra for ‘advance deployment' to ensure area domination and familiarisation.
They went on to add that as per requirement additional central forces will be mobilised for election duty.
The communication to the chiefs of central forces has been sent following the recommendation of the Election Commission to retain the troops after the completion of the Amarnath Yatra, which is scheduled to end on August 19.
Even as the MHA's official figures show a decline in the terror incidents in J&K after the Centre decided to do away with special status to the erstwhile state of J&K under provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution, which was further reorganised as two Union Territories – J&K (with assembly) and Ladakh (without assembly) in August 2019.
However the Jammu region of the UT, in recent times, has once again been witnessing attacks on the army. Areas such as Poonch, Rajouri, and Reasi will be focal points, as these areas have seen multiple attacks on the army and civilians over the past two months.
According to the officials, it was expected that the ECI would require more companies for poll duty deployment than initially demanded for the general elections in April-June this year and at that time the second-highest number of CAPFs (635 companies), was sent to J&K.
The officials said the deployment plan during elections is to be decided in consultation with J&K Police, who will be providing the necessary accommodation, transportation, logistics, and other arrangements required for the forces' deployment, as per ECI guidelines.
