Dy Election Commissioner to visit city on May 13 to review poll process
Kolkata: Deputy Election Commissioner (DEC) Sudeep Jain is expected to visit the city on May 13, a day after the sixth phase of the Lok Sabha polls in eight Parliamentary constituencies of Bengal.
Jain will hold a meeting with senior election officials of the state to review the overall poll processes carried out so far in Bengal. Senior election officials in the districts have been asked to turn up at the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO).
According to sources in the CEO's office, the Deputy Election Commissioner will also take a stock of the overall preparedness in the counting stations in the districts and the city on May 23, when counting will be done.
The DEO will also review arrangements for the final phase of elections on May 19, when nine constituencies of Bengal will go to polls.
It may be mentioned here that Jain had earlier visited the state and held a number of meeting with various officials including the Chief Secretary, Home Secretary, CEO and the Director General of Police, after the notification of the election.
The Election Commission has decided to deploy Central Forces in all the polling stations for the remaining two phases in the state. The Commission has conducted a detailed meeting with Chief Secretary Malay Dey, Home Secretary Atri Bhattacharya and Special Observer for Bengal Ajay V Nayak in this regard.
The Commission officials have placed their order of requisition of Central Forces for the last two phases at the Union Home Ministry.
It has been learnt that the Commission is keen on deploying over 700 companies of Central Forces for each of the remaining phases. According to sources, over 150 companies of Central Forces may be deployed in the city for the Kolkata North and Kolkata South constituencies on May 19.
The Western districts may see a major deployment of Central Forces. Sources said that in East Midnapore there may be more than 180 companies, followed by West Midnapore district with 158 companies, Bankura with 131 and Jhargram with 114.
The Commission has a plan to deploy 10 Central personnel on an average at each poll premise. Apart from Central Forces, nearly 300 inspectors and over 1,000 Sub-Inspectors and Assistant Sub-Inspectors of state police will be engaged to maintain the law and order situation in the city.
The polling premises will, however, be guarded by Central Force jawans.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission has ordered repoll at two polling stations - one at Ketugram in East Burdwan and the other in Bolpur, where elections were held on April 29. The repoll would be conducted on May 12, with the sixth phase of elections.
