Ground Report

Around 60,000 Central paramilitary personnel will man 2,700 polling centers and polling booths for the third phase of assembly elections(May 27) in West Bengal. Around 25,000 strong police force will be deployed on election duty. The State police have been directed to keep away from the polling stations (within 100 meters). According to police sources, all booths in the city are sensitive. Some of them (350) have been identified as super-sensitive.  The third phase of West Bengal assembly elections April 27 for 75 constituency, spread over the North and South 24 Parganas and Calcutta districts.Tight security arrangement has been made for a free, fair and peaceful polling in the constituencies spread across the districts.The Election Commission has ordered that no armed security personnel will be allowed to accompany candidates in or around polling stations on election day. According to Arms Act 1959, No person, other than the returning officer, the presiding officer, any police officer and any other person appointed to maintain peace and order at the polling station who is on duty shall on polling day, go armed with weapons within a radius of 100 meters of the polling station.”