Law enforcement forces to be deployed in three phases for elections: EC Secretary

Akhtar Ahmed, Senior Secretary, Election Commission (EC) Secretariat, said that there is a plan to deploy law enforcement forces in three phases for the upcoming 13th National Parliament elections. He said that there will be a permanent (fixed) deployment of law enforcement forces, a mobile team and a central reserve today, Thursday (November 27).
The EC Secretary said that there will be a permanent (fixed) deployment – where there will be some centrally based security personnel. Besides this, there will be check posts at both permanent and temporary places. Mobile check posts – that is, going to one place and doing it again two kilometers away. This is also permanent in nature. Mobile units – they will keep an eye on the surroundings.
However, the forces concerned are yet to decide how many centres a mobile unit will visit, the EC Secretary said. He said that in their view, it will depend on geographical location, road connectivity, etc. Central Reserve – it will be ready as the main reserve force. As per the deployment plan, three parts – permanent, mobile and central reserve – will be pre-determined. So far, we have been given instructions and the concerned forces will arrange it as per their requirements. Along with this, there will also be the conventional special striking force (Striking Force), which has the ability to ensure quick movement and preventive presence.
Akhtar Ahmed said, I sat in a meeting with all the law and order agencies. After that, if necessary, we can sit separately in small groups with the concerned forces. Akhtar Ahmed said, the Ministry of Home Affairs will be responsible for law and order in the concerned matters. They will give policies and guidelines – how to do what, what not to do – they will provide them like other times. We will do overall monitoring and coordination. This overall monitoring and coordination will be seen from the Election Commission.
The EC Secretary further said, here (in the EC building) we will set up an observation cell. And there will be coordination of the concerned forces with those observation cells. Now, what will be the size of the cell, how many representatives there will be – it has not been specifically said yet. We will coordinate the number given by the representatives of the concerned agencies. The meeting, chaired by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin, was attended by four other election commissioners and senior EC officials. Representatives of all law enforcement agencies were present.