Put on yatra duty, 15k men may stay on for rural polls

Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, August 19

The state is likely to retain over 15,000 additional security personnel, deployed for the Amarnath yatra, to ensure the smooth conduct of panchayat polls scheduled to be held between October and December.

The authorities had deployed over 200 additional companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) for the two-month yatra which is ending on August 26.

These additional forces for the yatra are deployed apart from the Central forces and police. “The CAPF companies will surely be retained for panchayat election duties,” a senior security officer said. “However, a final decision in this regard will be taken in the next few days by the Union Home Ministry,” he added. The officer said some more forces may also be inducted for the conduct of the upcoming civic polls. The biggest advantage of retaining the additional forces is that they have acclimatised with the “operational situation” which is always helpful in Kashmir.

J&K is planning to hold elections to urban local bodies in September or October and the panchayat polls are slated to be held between October and December this year. On August 15, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and J&K Governor, in their respective Independence Day speeches, announced holding of panchayat elections. The conduct of the panchayat polls will be a big security challenge, especially in south Kashmir where the situation remains fragile. “The civic elections will be a test for the security grid ahead of next year Parliamentary elections,” a government official said, while pointing to the bypoll to the Anantnag Lok Sabha seat which was deferred because of security reasons last year.