The Election Commission has directed states and Union territories to pay the honorariums stipulated for the first time for paramilitary and state armed police personnel on Lok Sabha poll duty and later seek reimbursement from the Centre.

The poll panel has finalised honorarium amounts of Rs 2,500 for officers of the ranks of assistant commandant, medical officer and deputy commandant; Rs 2,000 for subordinate officers such as assistant sub-inspectors, sub-inspectors and inspectors; and Rs 1,500 for others such as constables and head constables.

This will be the honorarium for a “special duty” period of 15 days. If the duty period exceeds 15 days, extra amounts of Rs 1,250, Rs 1,000 and Rs 750, respectively, will be paid to the three categories for a maximum of seven days. The total poll duty period will not exceed 22 days.

This is the first time troops on election duty will be paid honorarium over and above their salary.

“The payment of such honorarium shall not exceed the total pay of one month of the officer/personnel concerned,” the Election Commission said in an order dated April 10.

In case of the Lok Sabha elections, the expenditure incurred on the honorariums will be borne entirely by the central government. The respective state governments or Union territories will shoulder the full amount in case of Assembly elections. In states where Lok Sabha and Assembly elections are being held simultaneously, the cost will be shared equally by the Centre and the state.

“It is clarified that payment of honorarium to the paramilitary force deployed on the Lok Sabha elections-2019 would be borne by the state government/UT administration initially and thereafter a claim be made on ministry of home affairs for reimbursement,” the Election Commission order said.

Copies of the order have been sent to the chief secretaries of all states and Union territories, besides the directors-general of the CRPF, BSF, CISF, SSB, ITBP and the RPF.

“The role of the paramilitary forces and the armed police is very important in the overall security management. They play a crucial role in securing free, fair and peaceful elections. The honorarium is just a recognition of their invaluable services,” an Election Commission official said.

Around 2.7 lakh paramilitary personnel will be on duty for the Lok Sabha elections that are being held in seven phases from April 11 to May 19.