The Union home ministry has extended the deployment of 273 Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) companies in Delhi until October 31, citing the possibility of flash protests by political and other groups, according to official sources cited by Millennium Post – Delhi.
The extension, approved at the request of the Delhi Police, is the second since the forces were brought to the national capital earlier this month. The Ministry of Home Affairs directed the Delhi Police and the respective CAPFs on October 22 to coordinate the continued deployment.
Officials told the newspaper that the Delhi Police had informed the ministry about the possibility of sudden protests at various sensitive locations across the city. The additional deployment was considered necessary to maintain law and order, the report said.
The 273 companies will remain deployed alongside the Delhi Police. The contingent includes 125 companies of the Central Reserve Police Force, including 20 women personnel units; 20 companies of the Rapid Action Force; 46 companies of the Border Security Force; 39 companies of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police; 31 companies of the Sashastra Seema Bal; and 12 companies of the Central Industrial Security Force.
A CAPF company has a sanctioned strength of 100 personnel, although its effective operational manpower is generally about 70 to 72 personnel. On that basis, the sanctioned strength of the extended deployment is 27,300 personnel, while the operational strength would be approximately 19,110 to 19,656 personnel. The forces will operate with the local police under the coordination directed by the home ministry.
The deployment follows protests held in parts of Delhi by the Cockroach Janta Party, identified in the report as CJP, on October 9. The demonstrations sought the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. Opposition parties subsequently held protests with the same demand.
The CJP also organised a ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ demonstration on October 16. The latest extension means the additional security presence will continue through October 31, covering locations that the Delhi Police has identified as sensitive and potentially vulnerable to sudden demonstrations.
The home ministry’s order keeps responsibility for operational coordination with the Delhi Police and the respective central forces. No further extension beyond October 31 was specified in the report.
