Kolkata Municipal Polls: Opposition BJP, SEC at loggerheads again

Opposition BJP and the State Election Commission (SEC) are at loggerheads again, with six-member BJP delegation visiting State Election Commission (SEC) and demanding that the EVM with VVPATs support for the Kolkata Municipal Polls (KMC) polls, deployment of CAPF and counting of polls in a single day.

However, dissatisfied with the discussion SEC, the LoP Suvendu Adhikari along with others went to meet Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar seeking his intervention. Dhankhar also urged the SEC about CAPF deployment, about appointment of the polling agent and other issues.

Apart from LoP and Nandigram MLA Suvendu Adhikari, Sisr Bajoria, MLA Agnimitra Paul and BJP National Vice-President Pratap Banerjee went to the SEC to meet the State Election Commissioner.


In a letter to the SEC, the BJP leadership addressed their concern about deployment of CAPF during the KMC polls. The saffron party also demanded deployment of CAPF during the civic polls. However, the SEC mentioned that 23,000 police forces , including Kolkata and West Bengal Police, will be deployed for the KMC polls. It has also mentioned that only 25 percent of booths sensitive will be videographed and there will be CCTV in sensitive booths.

“We will continue with several agitational programmes unless the CAPF is deployed for the KMC polls. The Governor is also satisfied with the letter sent by SEC on KMC polls. The Governor told us that he will look into the matter,” Adhikari said, after meeting with the Governor.