EC ready with blueprint for booth security

Kolkata: The Election Commission (EC) has already prepared the blueprint of booth-wise security for the first phase of Assembly elections in Bengal. It has been decided that there will be at least half a section of Central forces, i.e four jawans in each booth.

Only in Jhargram district, there will be a full section i.e eight jawans in each of the 1307 booths. There are four Assembly constituencies in Jhargram that are being considered as an LWE (Left Wing Extremist) district by the Commission. One company of Central forces will also be posted in each of the sector offices in Jhargram.

For the other districts, if the number of booths in a polling premise is four, then there will be one company i.e eight jawans. In cases, where the number of booths is from four to nine, there will be one and half sections. If the number of booths is 10 or more, there will be two sections i.e. 16 jawans.

"Home guards or state police constables can be used for queue management but no green police will be allowed," a senior official in the state CEO office said. The full bench of the Election Commission of India (ECI) led by Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora is scheduled to hold a meeting with state Chief Secretary, Home Secretary and Director General of Police through video conference on March 25, two days ahead of the first phase polls in Bengal.