Home Ministry rejects Bengal's demand for forces for polls

NEW DELHI: Union Home Ministry today rejected West Bengal government's demand for paramilitary forces to hold panchayat elections in the state, saying the Centre does not provide security personnel to conduct local bodies' polls.

A top Home Ministry official said the Central government does not provide paramilitary personnel to any state to hold panchayat elections and it was the state government's responsibility to provide security for such polls.

"We do not provide Central forces to any state. These are local bodies' polls," he told PTI.

West Bengal government had demanded 300 companies (around 30,000 personnel) of paramilitary forces from the Centre for the panchayat polls.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had yesterday rejected the State Election Commission's demand for 1.49 lakh security personnel for the first phase of panchayat polls scheduled next month, saying the state did not have requisite forces.

State Chief Secretary Sanjay Mitra also said a fresh proposal is being sent to the Home Ministry seeking Central Paramilitary forces for the panchayat polls scheduled from July 2.