Deputy Election Commissioner reviews poll preparedness

Deputy Election Commissioner Sandeep Saxena has asked the senior election officials in the state to conduct mapping of the vulnerable areas where political tension or violence might take place during the election. According to the Commission around 2000 areas have been identified as sensitive pockets. 

In a meeting held at the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Saxena asked the senior election officials in the state to carry out vulnerability mapping of the sensitive pockets in the state, especially in the areas where political violence had occurred earlier. All the District Magistrates and Superintendent of police from various districts were also asked to identify the spots where there might be some political tension. 

It may be mentioned that Saxena throughout the day convened a number of meetings with the various election officials. He held a meeting with the district magistrates from the distant districts and the Superintendent of Police through video conference when they were asked to explain what measures had been taken by the district administration to check any kind of violence during the polls. The District Magistrates who are also the District Election Officers were asked how the central forces were utilised in the bordering areas and the LWE divisions. Saxena also asked the DEOs and SPs how the confidence building exercise was being conducted. 

It was learnt from the sources that the Deputy Commissioner had asked the DMs and SPs from the four districts namely Birbhum, Malda , Burdwan and Murshidabad to take further actions to strengthen the preventive measures so that election could be held without any violence. Saxena also held a meeting at the CEO office with the district magistrates, SDOs, Police supers from Hooghly, Howrah, North and South 24 Praganas and took a stock on the law and order situation. Commissioner of Police Bidhannagar Jawed Shamim who also joined the meeting had been asked to closely monitor the situation.