Chandigarh – Haryana's Chief Electoral Officer, Sh. Pankaj Agarwal, who also chairs the state committee for the deployment of central armed police forces during elections, stated that conducting free and transparent elections is the primary goal of the Election Commission. In this regard, along with state police, companies of the Central Armed Police Forces including BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP and RPF will be deployed to ensure that people can exercise their voting rights fearlessly and without any pressure.
Giving more information in this regard, Sh. Agarwal mentioned that the main purpose of deploying companies from the central armed police forces is to instill confidence in voters through flag marches and area domination during the election process. Apart from this, these forces will keep a strict vigil over every area. To maintain internal security around polling booths, personnel from Haryana Police, IRB, and Home Guard will be deployed. Special deployment of central paramilitary forces will be made at critical polling stations for monitoring. Webcasting will also be used to keep surveillance at polling stations. Furthermore, NCC/NSS and Red Cross volunteers will assist elderly and differently-abled voters in the voting process.
Sh. Agarwal stated that the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer has introduced the slogan 'Chunav Ka Parv – Pradesh ka Garv’ for the 2024 Haryana Assembly Elections. This goal can only be achieved if a maximum number of people exercise their right to vote. He emphasized that it is the responsibility of every citizen to celebrate this festival with joy, peace, and brotherhood.
Regarding the deployment of central armed police forces, Sh. Agarwal mentioned that a request for 225 companies was made to the Election Commission of India for the assembly elections, of which 70 companies had arrived in the state by 25 August 2024. Initially, 15 companies of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), 10 of the Border Security Force (BSF), 15 of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), 10 of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), 10 of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), and 10 companies of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) were directly sent to Haryana by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The remaining 155 companies will arrive in the state by September 24, 2024, after the first and second phases of elections in Jammu and Kashmir. These will include 25 companies of CRPF, 15 of BSF, 30 of CISF, 25 of ITBP, 35 of SSB, and 25 companies of RPF.
He also informed that after the elections on October 5, 2024, 30 companies will remain in the state for the security of EVMs, strong rooms, and counting centers until the vote counting is completed, while the remaining 195 companies will return.