'Booth agents will have to be voters of deployment area'

Kolkata: The state Election Commission (SEC) issued a directive that booth agents deployed on the poll day by the political parties would have to be a voter of that particular polling booth.

The SEC will also impose section 144 within 200 metres of the polling booths, 48 hours before the civic polls. The civic poll for Kolkata Municipal Corporation will be held on December 19. Trinamool Congress in its recent meeting with the Commission has raised the issue that polling agents in a particular booth will have to be a voter of that booth. The Opposition parties particularly the BJP had raised objections owing to the fact that it will not be possible for them to field booth agents in all the booths, if such a directive is in effect.

"This guideline regarding booth agents was followed in the last civic body elections too," a senior state Election Commission official said.

The Commission feels if a polling agent is a voter of that particular booth, he is familiar with the voters and so chances of bogus voting can be ruled out. The Commission has also issued a directive that ministers, MLAs or MPs, who are not candidates will not be allowed to enter polling booths or move to and fro accompanied by their bodyguards in close proximity of the booths on the polling day.

The Commission in coordination with the Health department and KMC is making arrangements for vaccinating persons who will not have received both doses from five days prior to the elections at the ward offices of KMC.