EC flags 12,000 sensitive booths in West Bengal polls, orders official removals

Kolkata: Election Commission of India (ECI) has identified 12,000 out of the total 40,000 polling booths, around 30%, as critical and vulnerable in the second phase as 142 Constituencies go to polls, West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal said on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, a night ahead of the second phase assembly polls, two Additional District Magistrates, one at South 24 Parganas district and another at Birbhum have been removed from election related duties by Election Commission of India (ECI).

“The integrity of the election process and sovereign rights of the voters cannot be curtailed by the hoodlums. If substantial injury will be done to the free and fair polling process, repoll will be ordered,” West Bengal CEO said in a stringent message.


“Extra-ordinary arrangements have been made for the vulnerable and critical booths by the Commission,” the CEO said, adding Bhangar, Sandeshkhali, Goghat among others, are areas which are considered vulnerable, the CEO said. Altogether 3000 plus arrests have been made all across the state in the last 60 hours. Naka checking has been undertaken all across the state, where polls are scheduled tomorrow.

The Bengal-CEO, in a message to the people of the state, said, “We have made all arrangements for free, fair and peaceful polls. More than 2500 companies of CAPF have been deployed and I have spoken to all SPs, CPs personally. 100% webcasting full-proof has been arranged. I urge all to come and exercise their statutory rights. If anyone is stopping you, don’t pay head to it as nobody will be able to harm you.”

Robust arrangements have been made to ensure that every voter is able to cast their vote. Security forces have been deployed in numbers which exceeds the actual requirement.

“Activities within every polling booth will be monitored directly from the control room. Central forces will oversee who is permitted to enter the 100-meter radius surrounding the booth. Vigil will remain strict outside the polling booths,” CEO said.

Virtual meetings will be conducted by the CEO with police observers at midnight. The Commission will conduct a virtual meeting with all the Officers-in-Charge (OCs) of all police stations across the 142 Constituencies. The Chief Secretary, Home Secretary, SP (Nodal), and ADG (Law and Order), State SPNO-all will be present at this meeting.

Removal of officials

“ADM South 24 Parganas Bhaskar Pal and ADM Birbhum Souvik Bhattacharya removed from all Election related duties by ECI, EC sources said.

In a letter to the Chief Secretary, ECI said in late evening that “the Commission has approved the transfer proposal in respect of Sh. Sourav Hazra, Jt. BDO, Falta Dev. Block (notified as ARO for 144-Falta AC). Therefore, he shall be transferred from Falta to Purulia H.Q. as Jt. BDO and be replaced by Sh. Ramya Bhattacharya, OSD in the rank of Jt. BDO.”

The directions of the Commission have to be implemented with immediate effect and a compliance report should be sent by 5.30 PM on April 28.