Mizoram police on Monday agreed with the demand of CEO S B Shashank for the deployment of 40 companies of central forces for fair election process as per reports.
Mizoram Deputy Inspector General of Police (Training & Armed Branch) Joseph Lalchhuana backed CEO saying that the figure of having 40 CAPF was decided after considering the requirements submitted by the Superintendent of Police and Election Officer from all the eight districts of Mizoram.
CEO Shashank had sought the deployment of 40 companies of central armed police forces (CAPF) in the state. NGO Coordination Committee(which was demanding the ouster of the CEO) and the political parties did not agree with the CEO’s demand and accused him of being anti-Mizo. They blamed Shashank for spoiling the State’s record of holding peaceful elections for decades.
Mizoram police, supporting Shashank’s demand, said that 40 companies of CAPF are necessary if the assembly elections and counting for the 40 constituencies are to be conducted as per the ECI mandate. Mizoram Deputy Inspector General of Police (Training & Armed Branch) Joseph Lalchhuana who is also the Assistant State Police Nodal Officer for the assembly elections said, “We go by the guidelines and instructions of the Election Commission of India for the conduct of peaceful elections. This time, every assembly constituency must have independent strong room for EVM and VVPAT machines.”
“As per the ECI, each strong room has to be guarded by a prescribed strength of CAPF. Likewise, the ECI has instructed that every assembly constituency should have a separate counting hall to expedite the result declaration. This will again have to be guarded by a prescribed strength of CAPF,” Lalchhuana added.
Assembly elections are to be held in the State on Nov 28.