The government has provided Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar with a Z-category VIP security cover of armed commandos in view of potential threats against him, official sources said on Tuesday.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has entrusted the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) with providing a contingent of about 40-45 personnel for the task, the sources said.
A threat perception report prepared by central intelligence agencies recommended a "strong" security cover for Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kumar keeping in view his profile, they said. The move comes amid preparations for the seven-phase general elections that begin on April 19.
The CEC, as well as two Election Commissioners, are currently guarded by a small armed security team drawn from the Delhi Police.
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This is one of the rarest instances of a CEC being provided a central security cover. Former CEC, late T N Seshan, had a central security cover at one point of time.
The Z category cover to the CEC will ensure protection to him during his movement in any part of the country, at his office in central Delhi's 'Nirvachan Sadan' and at his residence, the sources said.
The VIP security cover categorisations begin from the highest Z+ followed by Z, Y+, Y and X.
An EC spokesperson said he had "no comments to make on the issue".
Kumar is a retired IAS officer of the 1984 batch. He took charge as the 25th CEC on May 15, 2022.
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He had been appointed as an election commissioner in the poll body on September 1, 2020.
