EC observer to assess Bengal law & order

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission will send an observer to assess the law and order in West Bengal, going to the polls in a few months. The move comes amid incidents of clashes between Trinamool Congress-CPM cadre. Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi had recently expressed concern over the spurt in political violence in West Bengal.

State home secretary GD Gautama said here on Thursday that the Election Commission has not yet intimated his government the date of the observer’s visit. It would be conveyed through its chief electoral officer, he said.

Chief Electoral Officer of the state, Sunil Gupta, meanwhile, said that a six-member special EC observer team would arrive in Kolkata on Monday.

Gautama said that the state government had sought deployment of 800 companies of central forces during the assembly election in West Bengal, during its meeting with the full bench of the Election Commission.

He said some of these central forces would be deployed a couple of months ahead of polling so that they would build confidence among voters. It would help the forces to be familiar with the area too.

The home secretary said that the state had sought 600 companies of central forces in the 2006 assembly elections but more forces were required this time round to ensure violence-free polls, with a 10% rise in polling booths.

More forces were also needed to deal with disturbances in the Maoist-affected areas and curbing growing political violence in the state. Gautama said, “we have demanded 800 companies of central forces considering that it may be a 5-phase election in the state.’’

At present, 41 companies of para-military forces were already stationed in the Maoist-hit areas. Of these, 35 companies were CRPF battalions and six companies of Naga battalions.