Against the backdrop of Shaheen Bagh firing incident and ongoing protests against the Citizenship Amendment Acts in over a dozen Assembly constituencies, the Election Commission (EC) will hold a "special meeting" on Friday with Delhi's chief electoral officers and deputy election officials, nodal officials for a comprehensive review of poll preparedness and to discuss important aspects of ensuring free and fair elections on February 8.

EC will also hold a meeting with Delhi Chief Secretary and Police Commissioner,  Home Secretary, Finance Secretary, Special Commissioners of Police to review law and order situation and arrangement for the polls.

Sources in the EC said that the Commission will assess the poll preparedness and law and order situation including alternate route arrangements made by the Delhi police on CAA protests areas during polling day.  Besides, Delhi police is expected to make a detailed presentation on law and order situation.

According to the EC, terming the "present security scenario and law & order" in the national Capital as "quite critical" due to the ongoing protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the Delhi Police has sought from the Election Commission an additional deployment of 30 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) for the conduct of the impending Assembly polls here, as withdrawing the paramilitary already deployed for essential duties was "not feasible". The Delhi police needs 179 companies of CAPF/State Armed Force which include 15,000 home guards from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and other States.

Earlier, a comprehensive review meeting was held by the EC December 26, to assess the poll preparedness with all concerned officials. Prior to this meeting, EC officials have held  two poll preparedness meetings, one November 4 and second on December 10. On January 28, this year, another meeting was held to assess the preparedness.