Conduct LS polls in five phases: Bengal BJP to EC

Fearing violence by the ruling Trinamool Congress, the BJP's West Bengal unit Monday wrote to the Election Commission asking the Lok Sabha polls to be conducted in five phases with deployment of central security forces from the date of filing nominations.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) West Bengal unit president Rahul Sinha said in his letter to the chief election commissioner that deployment of central security forces from the day of filing nominations was imperative to rebuild faith in democracy.

"After the way the ruling party threatened and attacked aspiring candidates and voters in the last local elections, central security forces should be deployed in all the districts right from the date of nomination.

"The deployment of the forces can be done from the day of nominations only if the elections are conducted in at least five phases," Sinha said in his letter.

Sinha also urged the commission to ensure that state police personnel are not deployed near polling booths.

"In the last local elections, state police personnel were not found at their place of duty and the central forces were locked either in their barracks or kept a long way from the polling stations.

"Therefore, we urge that state police, under no condition, be allowed within 200 metres of a polling station," he said