LS Polls Phase 4: Security upped to ensure fair, smooth polls

Over 2.7 lakh paramilitary personnel have been deployed to ensure fair and smooth polling across the country in the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha elections which is scheduled tomorrow.

Hyderabad: With the fourth phase of ongoing Lok Sabha polls scheduled tomorrow, preparations are in full swing to conduct free and fair voting.

A total of 71 parliamentary constituencies across 9 states, including Kulgam district of Anantnag Lok Sabha seat in Jammu and Kashmir, will witness polls in the fourth phase of the seven-phased Lok Sabha elections.

Over 2.7 lakh paramilitary personnel, along with over 20 lakh state police personnel and home guards, have been deployed to ensure smooth conduct of the polls across the country.

The total sanctioned strength of India's state police forces is around 21 lakh and paramilitary is around 10 lakh.

Apart from Jammu and Kashmir, the most sensitive state for holding the polls, West Bengal has seen the deployment of a massive 41,000 personnel for smooth conduct of elections in the seven-phased polls in the state's 42 Lok Sabha constituencies.

Majority of the paramilitary personnel were drawn from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), Sashastra Seema Bal (BSF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and Indian Reserve Battalions (IRBs) of different states.

In Maharashtra, voting will be held in 17 parliamentary constituencies while in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, 13 seats will witness polls.

Besides, eight seats from West Bengal, six each from Madhya Pradesh and Odisha, five seats from Bihar and three from Jharkhand will go to polls in this phase.