Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath on Saturday said that for the first time, five police observers will be deployed in Haryana to ensure free, fair and clean polling in the state where election is due on October 15.

Mr. Sampath said in Chandigarh that five police observers will be deployed in sensitive districts, but did not mention the name of the districts.

Mr. Sampath was addressing a press conference shortly after holding meetings with political parties, chief secretary, home secretary, director general of police, deputy commissioners, superintendents of police, and other senior officers of the state government in Chandigarh.

He said the Commission has taken a major voter facilitation initiative according to which polling would start at 7 am and continue till 6 pm on the day of the poll.