AGARTALA: The Election Commission (EC) has decided to deploy central paramilitary force CPF ) personnel at all the polling booths for the assembly polls on February 18, state chief electoral officer Sriram Taranikanta said here on Wednesday. Talking to media, he further revealed that state police personnel will be responsible for maintaining law and order outside the polling stations and for area domination exercises."At least five CPF personnel will be deployed for each booth and two of them will guard the polling room. Of the remaining three, one of them will be responsible for maintaining the queue, one will be at the main gate of the polling station, and another will be on the move to secure free and fair polling," Taranikanta said.He said 300 companies of CPF have already reached the state, adding that number is adequate and deployment has been made in a very meticulous and systematic manner keeping in mind the demand of all political parties. "There is no need of deploying state police in the polling booths and the political parties also wanted CPF to be there. State police will remain outside the polling stations and in case a presiding officer needs assistance, he can call up them with the help of the sector magistrate," he added.He also pointed out that besides webcasting from all the polling booths, the commission has also arranged for video recording of the activities of all political party agents and polling personnel to ensure compliance of the EC guidelines issued for ensuring fair polls. The commission has so far categorized 200 out of the 3214 polling stations in the state as 'critical' and about a thousand hamlets as 'vulnerable'.

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