The Election Commission (EC) yesterday sent a letter to the Armed Forces Division, seeking forces for the UP elections and is waiting for the government's response.

Meantime, The government will soon initiate a dialogue with the EC to make its position clear on army deployment for the January 25-March 16 union parishad polls.

Earlier on Monday, an EC law and order review meeting decided on army deployment to ensure a peaceful atmosphere during the UP elections.

However, Political Secretary to

the Prime Minister Haris Chowdhury said the government had no plan to deploy troops.

There is no precedent of army deployment for the UP polls, he said adding that it (deployment) is a matter to be decided by the defence ministry.

The government policymakers also believe such deployment would

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mar the festive mood of the polls. Moreover, since the UP polls span over nearly two months, army deployment is practically impossible, they feel. Resource constraint is also something to be kept in mind.

Asked to comment on Monday's decision by the EC, Election Commissioner M Munsef Ali told reporters yesterday, "As it falls in the Election Commission's jurisdiction, the Commission decided to deploy army in the Union Prisad polls. Since there is no bar to deploy members of the armed forces in such elections, we want army to be deployed in the ensuing elections".

Ali said Monday's decision was unanimous. Representatives in the law and order review meeting apprised the EC their prospect and problems.

He admitted that due to special drive by the joint forces, law and order has improved. But the EC does not know how long the army would be in the filed. "That's why, we want army to be deployed."

Until yesterday, no communication was made to the EC from the government, sources in the EC said. Constitutionally, it is the responsibility of executives to help the EC to carry out its activities, they said.

The EC and the government first met head-on over the UP polls when the government deferred the polls by two months without informing the EC, which wanted the elections to be held from January 7. Later, the EC shifted its stance and deferred the polls by three weeks.