Odisha: 70 companies of CAPF to be deployed during counting of votes on June 4

Bhubaneswar: Seventy companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) will be deployed to ensure law and order during the counting of votes on June 4, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO)-Odisha said today.

Emphasising the importance of maintaining law and order and curbing post-poll violence in the State, the CEO’s office highlighted various incidents of unrest witnessed across different parts of Odisha before and during the elections. Consequently, an additional 70 CAPF companies will be stationed throughout the State till June 6, the office of the CEO informed.

It was previously decided that 25 CAPF companies will be strategically positioned around the strong rooms and counting centers, in response to these concerns. However, the security arrangement was stepped up keeping in mind the pre-poll and post-poll violence.

Worth mentioning, Odisha conducted elections for 21 Lok Sabha and 147 Assembly segments in four phases starting May 13, with the vote counting scheduled for June 4.

A record number of 185 CAPF companies were deployed during the simultaneous polls to Lok Sabha and Legislative Assembly in Odisha, the CEO office stated.