NEW DELHI: With the Election Commission of India (ECI) likely to announce the polls schedule for Bihar Assembly elections after the first week of October, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has directed the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) to spare 5,000 troops for initial deployment and 120 additional companies for area domination in the state.
The poll panel on Sunday also announced appointments of ‘general, police and expenditure observers’, drawn from IAS, IPS and IRS cadre officers, for the successful conduct of free and fair elections.
Sources in the poll panel said, the full Commission led by CEC Gyanesh Kumar is expected to visit Bihar on October 4-5 to review preparedness for the forthcoming elections in the State. Kumar along with Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi would be in Patna, where they will hold meetings with the Chief Electoral Officer and other state officials.
According to an official MHA communication, the officials said, the induction of forces “will be completed by October 5, 2025”. The units will be drawn from across CAPFs including 118 companies of CRPF, 99 of BSF, 92 of CISF, 75 of ITBP, 96 of SSB and 20 of RPF.