860 CAPF companies, 60K cops to man 59 assembly seats in UP Phase IV polls

As many as 800 companies of paramilitary forces and over 60,000 policemen will provide security across 59 assembly seats of Uttar Pradesh, where elections will be held in the fourth phase on Wednesday, according to officials.

Voting will be held at 13,813 polling stations and 24,580 polling booths in 208 police station areas, from 7 am till 6 pm, across the nine districts of Fatehpur, Banda, Pilibhit, Hardoi, Kheri, Lucknow, Rae Bareli, Sitapur and Unnao, the state police said.

Of the 59 assembly constituencies, three have been categorised as 'sensitive' and 590 localities marked as 'vulnerable,' according to the police.

In the fourth phase, according to the instructions of the Election Commission, a total of 137 'pink booths' have been made to specially motivate women for voting, the UP police said in a statement.

At these pink booths, 36 women inspectors and sub-inspectors, and 277 women constables and chief constables have been deployed, it added.

“Three assembly constituencies -- Hussainganj, Bindki and Fatehpur -- have been kept in the 'sensitive' category in the fourth phase, while a total of 590 majras and localities have been marked as 'vulnerable' and 3,393 polling booths considered as 'critical',” the police said.

For the fourth phase of assembly polls, the northern state has got 860 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces, whose personnel will be deployed at all polling stations, it said.

While 800 companies will be engaged for booth duty, 52 companies put on law and order duties, 23 on quick response team, 10 on inter-state barrier points, among others, it added.

“Similarly, in the fourth phase, 7,022 inspectors and sub-inspectors of Uttar Pradesh Police, and 58,132 head constables and constables will be deployed along with 21 companies of PAC, 50,490 home-guards, 185 PRD jawans, and 8,486 chowkidars,” according to the statement.

In the run-up to the polls, the police said 1.52 lakh licensed arms have been deposited, while 342 licensed arms have been seized and licenses of 449 arms cancelled since the day the model code of conduct came into force in these districts.

“In view of the possibility of breach of peace during elections, 45,553 preventive actions have been taken against 5.36 lakh persons under CrPC sections 107/116, while 5.09 lakh people have been bound under CrPC section 116(3),” the police said.

A total of 38 illegal arms factories have been busted across the 59 assembly seats, while 1,361 illegal arms and 1,527 cartridges have been recovered and 29 kg of explosives and 38 bombs have also been seized, it said.

Till now, Rs 6.65 crore cash, precious metals worth Rs 87.63 lakh and illegal liquor worth Rs 4.02 crore have been seized, the police said.

So far, 142 cases of cognizable offenses and 76 cases of non-cognizable offenses have been registered for violation of code of conduct in the districts of phase four polls, while 36 cases have been registered over various election-related violations, it added.

As many as 624 candidates are in fray during the fourth phase of elections across the 59 seats, of which the BJP had won 51 seats in 2017 polls.