THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state will appoint 14,000 special police officers for the smooth conduct of local body polls. The personnel comprising ex-servicemen, ex-police personnel, NCC Cadets and ex-paramilitary forces p/ersonnel will be deployed alongside police force and personnel drawn from excise, forest and transport department.
The personnel will be appointed during the poll dates - December 8, 10 and 14 and during the counting of votes on December 16. The special police officers thus selected will also be provided an amount of Rs 1,100 per day for carrying out duties outside the polling stations. “The decision to appoint special police officers is based on the request from the state police chief.
He had informed that there will be a severe shortage of manpower even if the entire police force and other resources are mobilised,” said an officer.
The officer further added, “Personnel drawn from other departments will be in relatively small numbers. There will be a substantial shortage of manpower for duties in the election to local body polls. Thus it was decided to appoint 14,000 such officers.”
As per a directive issued by the home department, other than NCC Cadets, able-bodied retired ex-servicemen, ex-police personnel and ex-paramilitary forces personnel who had retired not more than five years earlier only should be considered. It has also been stipulated that these personnel should not have any political leaning and should be deployed only for simple law and order duties or bandobust arrangements outside polling stations.