710 companies of forces for last phase of LS polls in W Bengal
| Date :19-May-2019 |
KOLKATA:
The BJP and CPI(M) had complained to the EC over violence in West Bengal and had demanded adequate measures to ensure that polls are held in a free and fair manner
THE Election Commission of India (ECI) will be deploying 710 companies of security forces to ensure that the last phase of Lok Sabha polling in West Bengal on Sunday goes off peacefully. “710 companies of security personnel will be providing 100 per cent coverage during the seventh phase of elections in West Bengal. This will include 512 quick response teams (QRTs) led by assistant commandants,” said the EC in a statement. Out of these 710 companies, a total of 147 companies will be deployed in constituencies which fall under the police jurisdiction of Kolkata police jurisdiction. Two QRTs will be deployed in each police station, the EC said.
The seats which go to polls on Sunday are Kolkata North, Kolkata South, Dum Dum, Barasat, Basirhat, Jadavpur, Diamond Harbour, Jaynagar (SC) and Mathurapur (SC). The national poll body on Wednesday decided to cut short the campaign period in the State after violence was reported during BJP Chief Amit Shah’s road-show on Tuesday. BJP and Communist Party of India (Marxist) had complained to the EC over violence and had demanded adequate measures to ensure that polls are held in a free and fair manner. The campaigning for last phase of elections ended on Friday evening. In all, 59 Lok Sabha seats will go to polls on Sunday in six States and one Union Territory.
The counting of votes will take place on May 23. Meanwhile, Congress leader and Baharampur parliamentary constituency candidate, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, has claimed that Mamata Banerjee led Trinamool Congress (TMC) might incite violence during polling for Kandi and Nowda by-elections in West Bengal. “TMC will try to incite violence with the help of police to win those two seats. If any violence breaks out then Murshidabad Congress, as well as Bengal Congress, will come out on the streets and immobile Murshidabad and the entire state,” Bengal Congress heavyweight Chowdhury said on Friday during a press conference.
Accusing the ruling TMC in the state, the Congress leader said, “In Kandi by-election, Kandi IC and Kandi SDPO are involved in an active conspiracy with TMC leaders and this was informed to the Election Commission. Besides this, we also came to know that to win these two by-election seats, TMC will try to incite violence on May 20.” He further said that the EC and police officials have already been alerted by the state Congress unit for a chance of violence during the polling day. Chowdhury warned that if any untoward incident happens then the Congress party workers and supporters will out on the street to stage protests. By-polls to Nowda and Kandi have been announced as Congress’ Abu Taher Khan and Apurba Sarkar joined Trinamool Congress and stepped down as MLAs.