EC orders security personnel not to enter polling booths

The Election Commission (EC) on Tuesday said neither the central force nor the state police will be allowed to enter into the polling booths at the time of elections. No police personnel from the Centre or state will be allowed into the booths if the presiding officers ask them to do so for any particular purpose.

The senior officials from the office of the Election Commission of India (ECI) during a meeting held through a video conference with their counter parts at the CEO office here in Kolkata once again categorically said that no police forces will be allowed within the polling booths at the time of casting of votes. 

The EC has also issued some instructions to the CEO office. It had asked the CEO that all video footages available from the electronic media in case of any untoward incidents must be monitored in every regular interval. 

The EC had given such instruction after there were some incidents where state police personnel were found to have roaming inside the polling booth. 

Senior EC officials also wanted to know about the preparation for the next day of the first phase election scheduled on April 11. They have asked for the detailed security arrangements for the next day of elections. 

During the video conferencing the EC had also instructed to maintain a log-book to monitor the movement of the central forces. The decision was taken to ensure central forces at all the polling stations. The EC also laid a stress on media monitoring cell thereby reviewing the media footage and take necessary action on the basis of the footages shown in the electronics media. 

Responding to the allegation of the Opposition parties that the central forces were not visible on roads, a senior official of the CEO office said that it was not possible for them deploy central forces on all the roads. If there is any specific complaint that a villager was opposed to come to the polling stations the commission will take steps to ensure that the villager can reach the polling station. 

There is no possibility of repolls in Ranibadh Uchhya Balika Vidyalay (booth number 230) as of now, the commission said. There were some problems with the EVM machine. 

Meanwhile, some members of the BJP on Tuesday met the CEO urging him to cancel the candidature of Sabyasachi Dutta, a Trinamool Congress candidate contesting from Rajarhat on the basis of some alleged sting operations.