By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The State Election department has decided to seek 76 additional companies of Central Paramilitary forces for smooth conduct of the upcoming Assembly election in the State.
Chief Election Officer (CEO) Prashant Naik informed this after a meeting with the deputy commissioners and superintendents of police of the State here on Wednesday.
He said that the meeting also discussed at length on the prevailing law and order situation in the State especially in Garo Hills.
“We have also identified certain pockets in Garo Hills as sensitive areas,” Naik said adding that his department would take all possible steps to thwart any attempt to disrupt the election process.
He also said the Election Commission has already been apprised about the prevailing law and order situation in Garo Hills.
Naik convened this meeting to get a report from senior election officials about the level of preparedness for the forthcoming assembly elections.
At present, 22 paramilitary companies are deployed in the state with most of the troopers in the five districts of Garo Hills to fight the outlawed Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) rebels.
The Election Commissioner will visit the state in the first week of January to assess the situation at the district-level.
Independent candidate: The People’s Voice Mylliem Constituency (PVMC) has decided to field Robert F Kharbuki, a Myntri of Hima Mylliem, as an independent candidate in the upcoming 2013 election from Mylliem constituency.