To conduct elections in a peaceful process at Siliguri, the Election Commission (EC) has decided to deploy 46 companies of Central Forces. The District Administration is leaving no stone unturned to ensure free and fair polls at Siliguri which falls under the Darjeeling district.
The District Election officers and the senior police officers in the district were inspecting various tension prone areas and talking to the people asking about their problems if any. The district magistrate Anurag Srivastava and the district police super Manoj Verma on Saturday visited Matigara area to take a stock of the law and order situation.
It may be mentioned that during the last panchayat election there had been instances of violence in the Matigara area. There were complaints of booth capturing and the ransacking of the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM). To prevent any such incidents during the forthcoming Assembly polls the senior administrative officials in the district were conducting vigil in the sensitive area, talking to the people to know the situation. They were also carrying out a programme to boost the confidence building exercise among the voters.
The EC had instructed the District Election Officials to ensure the route march by the central forces as a part of the confidence boosting exercise among the voters. Srivastava had talked to the voters of the Matigara area and wanted to know from them about the problems.
He had assured that voters that they will be able to vote peacefully.
The district election officers were also visiting door to door and asking people whether they were facing any threats. Those who were the polling agents of the Opposition parties during the municipal corporation were also being asked if they had received any threat from any person.
Darjeeling will go to poll in the third phase of Bengal’s elections on April 17 along with Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, Malda, North Dianjpur , South Dinajpur and Birbhum.