Security beefed up in Assam

By Vinay Kumar

NEW DELHI, MAY 7. With just two days to go for the Assembly polls in five States and pre-poll violence marring the campaign in Assam, the Election Commission today reviewed the situation in the north-eastern State.

Suspected ULFA insurgents have so far killed about 30 people in poll-related violence in Assam and injured over 50 others. Highly-placed sources in the Union Home Ministry said today that adequate forces were being deployed in the State in a bid to ensure peaceful, free and fair poll on May 10.

Admitting that election campaigns often made political activists and leaders ``easy targets'', sources said the Ministry was ``alert'' and monitoring the security situation.

Sources in the commission said it was in ``regular touch'' with the Chief Electoral Officer in Assam as well as top officials to give last minute touches to the poll-related arrangements based on the feedback being received from the State.

On criticism of the commission for not going for a two or three phase polling in Assam, the sources said the commission had observed that one-day poll in 1996, 1998 and 1999 general elections were ``peaceful and orderly.''

The commission had come in for some hard talk from the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, who said the commission's powers were increasing and that it was ``unfortunate'' that the poll panel had not accepted the Assam Chief Minister's suggestion for holding the poll in three phases.

Reacting to the statement today, the CPI(M) Politburo member, Mr. Prakash Karat, said the PM's remarks were ``uncalled for'' and ``unwarranted'' as the poll process was in progress.

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