Mizoram polls 3,000 police personnel, 450 CAPF section will deploy

Aizawl: At least 3,000 police personnel and 450 sections of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) will be deployed for the November 7 Mizoram assembly polls, a senior election official said.
Mizoram Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Madhup Vyas said the polling panel is making massive efforts to ensure a smooth, free, fair and peaceful election.
“Ten companies of Border Security Force (BSF) personnel and five companies of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) have already reached Mizoram,” Vyas told reporters here. And are at their places of deployment.”
A section consists of 12 personnel. Therefore, 450 sections will have 5,400 personnel of CAPFs.
Vyas said that arrangements have also been made to keep a helicopter on standby at Aizawl on polling day.
According to the official, cash, drugs, liquor and other contraband worth Rs 36.32 crore have been seized since the election was announced.
Elections to the 40-member assembly of Mizoram will be held in a single phase on November 7 and the counting of votes will take place on December 3.
Vyas said the CEO’s office was requested by political parties and organizations to change the counting date as it fell on a Sunday, which is holy for Christians, and letters were sent to the Election Commission.
He said that the Central Election Panel has not yet responded to the requests. More than 8.57 lakh voters, including 4,39,026 women voters, are eligible to exercise their franchise in the upcoming assembly elections.
About 30 of the 1,276 polling stations have been identified as critical, Vyas said.
A total of 174 people, including 18 women, are in the fray for the elections. Two men and two women are contesting from two seats.
The ruling Mizo National Front (MNF), the main opposition party Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) and the Congress have fielded candidates in all 40 seats.
BJP and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have nominated candidates for 23 and four seats respectively.
Apart from this, 27 candidates are contesting the elections as independents. Four constituencies — Aizawl North-III, Aizawl South-I, Serchhip and Lunglei West — have the highest number of candidates and will see a six-cornered contest.
While Tawi, Champhai South, East Tuipui and South Tuipui constituencies have the least number of candidates and will have a three-cornered fight.