The Election Commission (EC) will assess a proposal to deploy law enforcement agencies, including armed forces, for eight days instead of the tradition of five days, during the 13th parliamentary election to be held in early February next.
“Normally, the (security forces) deployment programme is for five days, but a proposal has been made to extend it to eight days. The proposal is to deploy (security) forces three days before the polls, on the polling day, and four days after the election. Our initial plan was for five days, but now this eight-day proposal has been placed, and we will examine it,” said EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed on Monday.
The EC Secretary told reporters after a views-exchange with different law enforcement agencies, armed forces and intelligence in a bid to conduct the national election in a free, participatory and fair manner.
Akhtar Ahmed said around 90,000 to one lakh army personnel are expected to be deployed during the election.
“About 1.5 lakh police members will perform election duties, while some 90,000 to one lakh army personnel will be in the election, the highest number of five to six lakh Ansar and VDP members will also be there,” he said.
He said the issue of deployment of armed forces in aid to the civil administration or as law enforcement agencies in the election will be finalised after the amendment to the Representation of the People Order (RPO). “The issue will be finalised after amending the Representation of the People Order (RPO).”
The three-hour-long meeting, titled ‘Views-exchange and pre-preparation meeting on law and order’, was held at the Conference Room of Nirbachan Bhaban, with Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin in the chair.
According to the EC, representatives from the armed forces and top law enforcement and intelligence agencies attended the meeting, including the Army, Navy, and Air Force; the Public Security Division of the Home Ministry; the Armed Forces Division (AFD); the Police Headquarters; and the heads of BGB, Rab, Coast Guard, Ansar-VDP, DGFI, NSI, NTMC, SB, and CID.
Akhtar Ahmed said the discussions broadly focused on several key areas, including the overall security for polling stations and polling officials, coordination among field-level forces, prevention of illegal arms, control of licensed arms, and monitoring the use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, curb misinformation and propaganda on social media, providing security to foreign journalists, observers and monitoring agencies during the election.
The EC Secretary further said that the use of drones by common people during electioneering will be prohibited. “However, law enforcement agencies may use drones if necessary for maintaining security.”
Replying to a question, Akhtar Ahmed said, “Of course, there is an environment conducive to elections and today's discussion is aimed at further consolidating that, and it will continue.”
