By Maheesha Mudugamuwa Around 70,000 police officers have been deployed for election duties countrywide during the parliamentary election today (5), Police Media Spokesman SSP Jaliya Senaratne said yesterday (4). He told The Morning that the Police Special Task Force (STF) has also been stationed at vulnerable areas such as Puttalam and Chilaw. “The STF has been deployed in areas where incidents were reported during previous elections,” he said. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Army has also been stationed standby at police stations as almost all police officers have been deployed for election duties, according to SSP Senaratne. “Due to the Covid-19 situation, the number of polling stations has been increased and therefore the number of police officers engaged in election duties has also been increased. As a result, only the policewomen and those who are disabled and pregnant are left at police stations. Therefore, for the security of the police stations, the Army has been stationed standby,” he added. Around 10,750 Civil Defense Force (CDF) officers have also been deployed for election duties, SSP Senaratne said, adding that in addition to election duties, special roadblocks and police mobile services have also been deployed.