Orissa government said on Saturday that the situation in Kandhamal district would be reviewed before withdrawing central paramilitary forces from the riot-hit district.

Home Secretary Aditya Padhi said, "Now the deadline of the force deployment in the district is going to end. The ground situation would be reviewed before deciding on securitymen's withdrawl from the area."

This decision was based on a direction by Supreme Court ,which had earlier asked Centre to allow deployment of para-military forces in Kandhamal till the end of December.

Meanwhile, Additional Director General of Police (ADG) Desraj Meena told television channels on Friday that Orissa police would favour withdrawal of CRPF and RAF in phases from the first week of January.

While Kandhamal district administration was surprised by ADG's statement, Home department officials preferred to comment after the situation was reviewed.

Fourty-two companies (nearly 4,000 personnel) of CRPF, RAF and 1000 state police have been deployed in the area since the ethno-communal violence broke out in September.

The matter relating to central force withdrawal from Kandhamal had, meanwhile, become controversial as Christian leaders demanded extention of the force deployment till the completion of general elections.

"We have already urged the state government to recommend force deployment in Kandhamal till end of election", Rapheal Acheenath, Archbishiop of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar said.

The tribals of Kandhamal had demanded withdrawal of forces from the interior areas as CRPF jawans allegedly created problem for the locals.