With the BJP and the Congress on the hit-list of Naxals, the CRPF will deploy its personnel 15 days in advance in the ultra-left extremism-affected States to counter any threat to politicians during the Parliamentary polls.
As part of the security arrangement for the polls, the State Government will constitute a State-level Coordination Group headed by an officer of Inspector General rank and will include an officer of the paramilitary forces that will be deployed for election duties. The strength of each company will not be less than 94 officers and personnel.
Training companies of CRPF from Jammu & Kashmir and Northeast will be deployed in the Naxal areas. Eighty recruits per battalion will be detailed to maintain the required strength for conduct of the polls.
Each platoon has been authorised to possess one under barrel grenade launcher (UBGl) besides other essential equipment and required scale of arms and ammunition. The Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad and Dog Squad will also play a major role in the conduct of elections in the Naxal-hit areas, a senior CRPF official said.
With approval from the Election Commission, unique ID system has been introduced for the security personnel to avoid confusion and ensure contiguous deployment.
In areas where incidents of IED blasts have happened in the past, road opening parties (ROP) will be placed by the local troops for safe induction of additional paramilitary personnel for election duty.
A joint signal centre will be established with State police as well as Central paramilitary force detailed for election duty for speedy flow of information. BSNl will provide 1,500 DSPT lines for Naxal-hit areas and increase coverage of existing mobile phone towers. The Department of Telecom will also provide 8,000 closed user group (CUG) SIM cards for supervisory officers of security forces.
The CRPF has also requested the Naxal-affected States to provide Survey of India maps for each area of responsibility (AOR) to the company commander of the paramilitary force.Sensitive booth/constituencies in Naxal-affected States have been identified in order to rule out the possibility of mining of polling booth/camp sites.
The Union Home Ministry has also requested the Defence Ministry for corridor protection/area domination/ROP by Rashtriya Rifles in Jammu & Kashmir and Assam Rifles in Northeast.