Following the assassination of sitting Member of the Legislative Assembly P Purushottam Rao in Adilabad district on Thursday, candidates belonging to the ruling Telugu Desam, Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party have been provided with bullet-proof jackets.

According to reports from Karimnagar and Adilabad districts, almost all candidates who faced a threat to their lives from Naxalites have been advised by the police not to stir out without jackets, and asked not to venture into interior villages.

In fact, police have warned that the security cover already provided would be withdrawn if candidates insisted on visiting remote places.

A senior police official here, however, refused to disclose the number of politicians who had been given bullet proof jackets."This is a matter concerning the security of the candidates. We cannot specify the number or the names," he said.

More than 62,000 police personnel are being deployed in the constituencies for which election will take place on September 18. Except for Vijayawada and Guntur constituencies, all the other segments going to polls are in the Naxalite-affected Telangana districts.

Election will be held for 14 Lok Sabha constituencies and 97 Assembly segments in the last phase. The campaigning concluded on Friday evening.

As many as 9,866 of the total 21,436 polling stations spread over 14 districts have been identified as sensitive. Central police forces comprising 37 CRPF, 25 CISF, 15 BSF and 13 RPF companies will assist the State police in ensuring a peaceful election. In all, 850 armed platoons will be available for polling duties.

In addition to this, 8,500 home guards and an equal number of "special police officers" will be deployed for the bandobust. It will be further supplemented by 2,000 NCC seniordivision boys and 800 senior SPF personnel, according to a press release issued by the Director General of Police.

Two companies of BSF and CRPF forces reached Adilabad, which was rocked by the murder of Purushottam Rao. Candidates carried out electioneering on the last day under the tight security cover provided by BSF and CPRF personnel.According to the DGP press release, 2,315 mobile parties, 623 striking forces and 177 special striking forces will be pressed into service. All the districts are connected to a control room in the DGP's office which is equipped with advanced communication network including hotline.

As part of the preventive measures, 46,436 persons have been bounded over and 3,733 persons arrested. More than 250 fire arms were seized and around 41,000 licensed weapons were scrutinised and deposited in police custody.