West Bengal polls: In a first, 11 paramilitary personnel per booth

Kolkata: The Election Commission has decided to deploy 11 paramilitary personnel per booth –the highest concentration of force per booth in any election in the state so far is in Jhargram during the first phase of elections on March 27. 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 will go for the polls.

The Commission has declared all the 1,307 booths spread over 1,010 premises in Jhargram as LWE (Left Wing Extremism) keeping in mind the Maoist activity there some years back.

"We will have 127 companies of central forces only for booth management in Jhargram which means the allotment of approximately 11 personnel to manage each booth in this district. While in other districts half section (4 personnel )of CAPF will manage one booth and two booth premises," an EC official said.

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. Altogether 144 companies of central forces will be deployed in Jhargram for the election. "In addition to this there is already another 30 companies of force in the district which will also be used for the purpose of the election," the official added.

Apart from Jhargram the other districts will have an average of 6 paramilitary personnel per booth.

So far as the other districts are concerned, Purulia has the highest concentration of forces with 185 companies to be deployed in 3,127 booths spread over 2,025 premises. In addition to this the commission has decided to deploy 148 companies for 2,437 booths spread over 1,686 premises in East Midnapore and 124 companies for 2,089 booths spread over 1,363 premises in West Midnapore. Bankura with 1,328 booths spread over 950 premises has the least deployment of only 83 companies.

The security mapping spelled out by the commission shows that there will be a deployment of 22,092 state forces in the first phase of the election. The state force include 173 inspectors, 2,661 Sub-Inspectors or Assistant Sub-Inspectors, 4,012 armed constables,13,970 unarmed constables and 1,276 lady constables.