The Odisha government has issued a notification for the creation of a Special Security Battalion for the safety and security of the 12th-century Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri.

According to a notification issued by the Home Department on January 31, as many as 1,083 posts in different ranks will be created for the special battalion. The Special Security Battalion would function under the command and control of the Superintendent of Police, Puri.

With the creation of the special battalion for Puri temple, the 139 posts of APR (armed police reserve) created earlier under Singhdwar police station for the safety and security of Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri are abolished, the notification said.

An official in the Home Department said that the newly created posts will be filled up by relevant recruitment rules and provisions of the ORV (Odisha Reservation of Vacancies) Act. The notification further said that in- principle approval has been given for outsourcing various services of Group D staff for the special Security Battalion.