About 70 companies of Central Forces to be deployed across 1,097 booths
Kolkata: The Election Commission of India (ECI) is making stringent security arrangements for ensuring free and fair elections in the four Assembly constituencies in the state which goes for bypolls on July 10.
The poll watchdog will deploy 70 companies of Central Forces across 1,097 booths spread across Raiganj, Ranaghat Dakshin, Bagda and Maniktala for the by-election on July 10, where nearly 10 lakh people are expected to cast their franchise.
According to data from the commission, Bagda in North 24-Parganas will have the highest concentration of forces, with 20 companies of Central Forces deployed to manage 301 polling stations. Ranaghat Dakshin in Nadia district, will have 19 companies for manning 307 polling stations.
Another 16 companies will be deployed in Raiganj in North Dinajpur for managing 212 polling stations while 15 companies will be stationed in Maniktala in north Kolkata to manage 277
polling stations. Initially, the poll panel had sanctioned 55 companies of Central Forces for the by-election in four Assembly constituencies but the Union Home department later allocated an additional 15 companies — four each for Bagda, Ranaghat Dakshin and Raiganj, and three for Maniktala — bringing the total force count to 70 companies.
“Central forces will also be used in the Quick Response Team (QRT) that will provide adequate support to the state forces in maintaining law and order situation during the polling process,” a senior official at the CEO’s (Chief Electoral Officer) office said.
There will be two companies of Central Forces each to guard the strong rooms in the Assembly constituencies.
The Commission will further deploy 3115 state police force for the management of law-and-order situations in the four Assembly constituencies during the elections.
Sources in the commission said that 893 police personnel will be deployed in Maniktala followed by 850 personnel in Bagda, 804 personnel in Ranaghat and 568 personnel in Raiganj.
