MillenniumPost
Bengal

EC accepts TMC's proposal to allow state police to manage queues in front of polling booths

Kolkata: The Election Commission (EC) has decided to use state police for the management of queue in the voting line to bridge any sort of gap related to language barrier with the voters. The move comes soon after a parliamentary delegation from Trinamool Congress (TMC) met the EC a few days back demanding that its plan of not allowing state police within 100 metres of the polling booths will not be a welcome proposition.

The TMC delegation had claimed that as the Central Forces are unable to understand local language, not allowing the state police within 100 metres of the booth may create problem in managing the queue in the voting line. The Commission has taken measures for quick intervention of Central Forces in case of any incidents of clashes or booth jamming on the day of polls. Special Police Observer Vivek Dubey has held meetings with IG-level officials of all the wings of Central Armed Paramilitary Forces (CAPF) and has spelt out how advanced technology devised by the Commission can be used for quick intervention. The same has been communicated through proper channel to the jawans who will be on field duty on poll days. "The central forces will work in coordination with the state police but we have taken measures to equip the forces with technology so that they can rush to any spot from where trouble is reported," a senior EC official said. The movement of the Central Forces to the respective districts where they have been assigned their poll duty will start from March 23 for the first phase of polls.

725 companies of CAPF — that includes 212 companies of CRPF, 142 companies of BSF, 113 companies of CISF, 137 companies SSB, 79 companies ITBP and 45 companies of RPF will be reaching the state before the first phase of elections scheduled on March 27.

As per plans, 684 companies of Central Forces will be deployed in 10,288 booths spread over 7,061 premises in the first phase of election when five districts which includes parts of Bankura East Midnapore, West Midnapore and the entire Purulia and Jhargram that will go for the poll. 14 companies of Central Forces will be used Quick Response Team (QRT), one company for the maintenance of strong room and another two companies of Central Force will be kept as reserve as

District and Sub-divisional striking force.

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