CEO seeks paramilitary forces for Telangana polls

​Hyderabad: Telangana State Chief Electoral Officer Rajat Kumar has requested the Union government to deploy 26 companies of paramilitary forces to the poll-bound state to maintain law and order and also oversee the election-related incidents till the results are declared.

In a missive to the Union Home Ministry, the Chief Electoral Officer requested the central authorities to send the forces at the earliest as the state is already gripped with poll fever with the continuous public meetings and road shows by the top leaders from every political party.

Official sources said that the Centre will deploy the required forces in a phased manner. Before the nomination process begins, all the required forces will be stationed in the strategic places and sensitive areas mainly the Maoist-infested districts.

The paramilitary forces will perform their duties in coordination with the state police department. To monitor the money transactions mainly the leaders’ financial status this election season, the CEO also held a meeting with the officials of Income-Tax (IT) department. The Election authorities will seek information from time to time about the financial transactions through the banks and other financial institutions by the leaders and some identified businessmen in the state.