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The Election Commission on Friday rebuffed Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan for his reported statement that central police force (CPF) personnel would be confined to barracks during by-polls to three assembly seats in the state tomorrow.
"This is not correct. The CPF shall not be confined to the barracks. They shall stand guard at the polling stations on the day of the poll to ensure free and fair election in accordance with Commission's instructions," the EC said in a statement.
It came in the backdrop of what it described as reports about some statements of Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan and others that the CPF deputed by the EC in the state for the conduct of bypolls would be "confined to the barracks and will not be deployed at the polling stations on the polling day".
"Once drafted by the Commission, all police forces whether state or Central, stand deputed to the Election Commission. This is a time-tested practice," it said.
For the conduct of by-elections to the 32 assembly constituencies tomorrow, CPF have been deployed in Assam, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Kerala.
The Ferozebad Lok Sabha seat in UP is also going to polls tomorrow.
"The EC would like to make it abundantly clear that it would spare no efforts, as it always does, for ensuring a free and fair poll" in all the seats.