WB Civic polls: 32 BSF companies to guard borders tomorrow

With deployment of 32 more companies of central forces in addition to the three companies deployed earlier, the State Election Commissioner today said it will be easier to conduct flag march in sensitive areas and guard international borders for peaceful polls to 91 civic bodies tomorrow.
"The entire 32 companies are from the BSF. They will protect borders to prevent infiltration, besides conducting flag march in sensitive areas," State Election Commissioner S R Upadhyay said.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee earlier said "32 companies of central forces are coming. The state government today received communication with regard to availability of central forces. They will be undertaking patrolling duty in poll-bound municipalities and will not be manning booths."

Speaking on deployment of central forces, Upadhyay said they would be mainly deployed in Siliguri, besides North and South Dinajpur, Malda, Murshidabad and North 24 Parganas districts.
Of the three companies deployed earlier, two were deployed in North-24 Parganas district and one in Hooghly district. The state police force would be manning the booths, he said.
Upadhyay said the Governor had advised him to ensure that the election process, including law and order situation, was monitored effectively to instill confidence among people.

The SEC had earlier stressed on requirement of at least 100 companies of central forces for the civic polls.

To a question on the Chief Minister's announcement of free treatment at government hospitals for some critical ailments and announcement of smart cities, the SEC said he had written to the Chief Secretary seeking details to assess if those were in violation with the Model Code of Conduct.
Besides observers and special observers, micro observers would be deployed in all sensitive polling stations, Upadhyay said.
The SEC said the presiding officers have been directed to file detailed reports in cases of exceptionally high polling percentages during tomorrow's elections and added all arrangements have been made for a peaceful polling tomorrow.