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Tight security as UP goes to polls

Our Correspondent in Lucknow

With seven persons killed in pre-poll violence, the Uttar Pradesh government is keeping its fingers crossed over the commencement of four-phased panchayat elections in the state today.

Apprehension of large-scale violence at the grassroots level election has prompted the state government to make unprecedented security arrangements for each of the 750,000 positions to which public representatives are to be elected in a phased manner, till June 23.

There are more than 1. 25 million candidates in the fray. Considering that 750,000 of the country's two million gram panchayats are in UP, this election has been rated as the largest of its kind in any Indian state. About 80 million voters will exercise their franchise in the election, which has some 628,287 contestants in the fray for the position of member of village panchayats, 309,782 candidates for village head and 204,473 for area panchayats.

With over 15,000 armed policemen pressed into service, together with about 75,000 uniformed cops, the government has sought additional deployment of 150 companies of the central para-military forces . Besides, forces from Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have been requisitioned.

However, the state has received only 19 companies of the central para-military forces so far. Irked by the lukewarm response to his demand, state chief election commissioner Yashpal Singh said, "I am not satisfied with the security arrangements; we need more forces.''

He, however, appreciated the "preventive action" by the administration, which led to the recovery of illegal arms and explosives, aimed at disrupting the election process.

The government has also invoked stringent laws. While 106 persons were taken into custody under the National Security Act (NSA), 326 were booked under the Gangsters Act and nearly 1300 under other laws. Besides, about 315,000 persons have been bound by the administration to sign bonds assuring good conduct and order during the elections, he added.

Elections in UP's hill region will be held later.

While 13 persons were killed in poll-related violence in 1995, 24 killings were recorded in 1988.

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