State, SEC discuss force deployment plan for civic polls

West Bengal government and the State Election Commission (SEC) today discussed the force deployment plan for the upcoming civic polls in the state.
The meeting, which lasted for nearly an hour, was attended by Home Secretary Basudeb Banerjee, Kolkata Police Commissioner Surajit Kar Purkayastha and other senior state government officials.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, State Election Commissioner S R Upadhyay, said, regarding availability of central forces, the state government had said that it would not be possible to shift any company deployed in the Left-Wing Extremism-hit (LWE-hit) areas.
With a total strength of 48 companies of central forces available in the state, 40 of the them were in the LWE-hit areas while the rest was in Darjeeling hills, he said.

He said Banerjee had informed that the state was weighing the option as to whether some companies from Darjeeling could be deployed for the polls.
Upadhyay said that demand for central forces was a part of confidence building measure, adding, the commission was committed for a peaceful poll and cooperation among the police, administration and people was needed.
The SEC today also ordered arrest of Champdani councillor Bikram Gupta for allegedly ransacking a local police outpost, while charged Cooch Behar TMC leader Rabindranath Ghosh with violating the model code of conduct.