Remove Punjab cops from Haryana — HC

Sources said the decision to remove the Punjab Police companies fromHaryana was taken at a meeting of the full commission here on Friday.

In view of the sensitive nature of several Haryana constituencies, 50companies of central forces have been deployed in the state besides thestate police.

Meanwhile, the commission has also directed posting of another 60 centralobservers in Haryana during the counting in addition to the 30 centralobservers already deployed.

It is notable that in a bid to check bogus voting, the Election Commissionhas made it mandatory for voters to show their election identity cards orother identification documents like ration cards and passports beforevoting. It is the first election in the country in which the EC has made useof ID cards mandatory.

The sources also said that following a request from the Manipur Government,two additional companies of central security forces are being sent to theNorth-Eastern State. While 27 assembly constituencies of the state went tothe polls in the first phase on February 12, 32 constituencies would vote onFebruary 22. Polling in Tipaimukh constituency, adjourned from February 12following the killing of the Janata Dal (United) candidate, would be held onMarch eight.

The commission has also ordered repoll in 101 polling booths in 14 Manipurconstituencies spread over three days. While 28 polling booths in tenconstituencies are having repoll on Saturday, 28 other polling stations inthree assembly constituencies would have repoll on February 25 and 38 boothsin one constituency — Henglep — would have repoll on March 8.