The Election Commission has ordered deployment of nearly 15,000 state police and paramilitary force personnel to ensure peaceful assembly polls in Maharashtra on October 13.

Reacting to reports that there is a shortage of police personnel for poll duty, EC spokesman A N Jha told reporters in Delhi that the Centre was sending some additional armed forces to the state. Neighbouring states have been asked to spare available home guards and other forces.

The commission had also allowed the state government to make use of ex-servicemen who retired in the last five years.