NEW DELHI: Even as the poll schedules are yet to be announced, the ground preparations for the next round of assembly elections have begun with the Election Commission of India (ECI) requesting the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) pre-poll advance deployment of the Central Armed Police Forces (CRPFs) in Jharkhand and Maharashtra.As the two states are scheduled to go for assembly polls in November-December, the ECI has requested the initial deployment of 100 companies of the CAPFs in Jharkhand and the direction for the same has been given to the forces, the officials said.The forces are being sent to Naxal violence-affected Jharkhad with an aim to ensure area domination, confidence-building measures, conduct of flag marches and surveillance to ensure smooth conduct of polling, they said, adding that the first batch of 100 companies of the CAPFs would reach Jharkhand by October 14.Of the total 100 companies CRPF has been directed to send 35 companies, followed by BSF (25), CISF (10), ITBP (15), and SSB (15), the officials said and noted that this is the preliminary deployment and expected to be more once the ECI announces the poll schedule, which is expected to be done sometime this week.However, the ECI has not sent any request for pre-poll deployment in Maharashtra and therefore troop movement is likely to begin once the poll dates are announced, but the companies of the CAPFs are in a ready position to be deployed for the election duty in the state.According to the officials the Maharashtra government has been asked to work out the detailed deployment plan in consultation with the respective CAPFs and the Chief Force Coordinator, who holds the rank of IG in CRPF.
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