SEC, state government hold talks on panchayat poll security

The West Bengal State Election Commission and the West Bengal government today held discussion on security arrangements for the upcoming panchayat election.
State Election Commissioner Mira Pandey told PTI after the meeting that preliminary talks were held today with the state government regarding security arrangement for the panchayat poll to be held in three phases in July.
Pandey said, further discussion will take place on the issue.
The state government was represented by home secretary Basudeb Banerjee and director-general of police Naparajit Mukherjee.
The issue of security had been a major bone of contention between the state and the SEC with the latter insisting on deployment of central forces, which the former was not keen on.

However, the Calcutta High Court passed an order saying it was upto to the state government to decide on deployment of central forces during the polls.