The Election Commission has ordered the deployment of a large number of paramilitary personnel in the three districts under Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur division.

The area, which will go to polls on April 7, is the stronghold of Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Kanpur Inspector-General of Police Rizwan Ahmed said 43 companies of paramilitary forces will be deployed in Etawah, the native place of the Samajwadi Party chief.

Only seven companies were deployed here in the last Assembly elections. (There are approximately 120 personnel in a company)

In Kannauj, the parliamentary constituency of Mulayam's son Akhilesh Yadav, 40 companies of paramilitary forces will be deployed. Two companies were deployed during the last Assembly polls, he said.

Also, 54 companies of paramilitary force would be deployed in the parliamentary constituency of Mulayam's nephew Dharmendra Yadav in Mainpuri district this time as against six companies deployed during the last elections.

Besides these, adjoining districts of Etah, Fatehgarh and Kanpur Dehat will also have tight security.

Ahmed told PTI said that most of these districts were highly sensitive and that is why tight security measures have been taken in these areas.

Mulayam was elected from Mainpuri constituency in the last election. His brother and state cabinet minister Shivpal Singh was contesting from their native Etawah district.

Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswamy will arrive in Kanpur on Saturday to review poll preparations in 62 constituencies, including in the Kanpur division, which will go to polls in the first phase, notification for which will be issued on March 13.