Another 60 companies of central paramilitary forces are likely to be sent to West Bengal for the second phase of elections on April 18. In the first phase on April 11, there were 83 companies of central forces deployed.
Elections will be held in Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling and Raiganj seats for the second phase of elections.
The Opposition has alleged that polling was held in the first phase without adequate central forces. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has demanded that all booths in the subsequent phases be guarded by central paramilitary forces. A BJP delegation even started an agitation inside the office of the chief electoral officer of West Bengal Aariz Aftab last week.
The special observer for Bengal, Vivek Dubey, has also had a discussion with political parties in the state and with the senior officers of the Election Commission on the forces deployment issue.
[Cover image representational]
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