EC directs to close party offices near polling booths

Kolkata, Mar 20 (UNI) The Election Commission (EC) has directed closure of all political party and trade union offices located within 200 metres of polling booths 48 hours before elections in West Bengal.

Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Debasish Sen today said the Commission also ordered that the booths within the stipulated distance of district and state level offices of political parties and trade unions would have to be relocated to ensure smooth conduct of polling.

There are altogether 3350 such booths in the state, Mr Sen informed.

The CEO said the full bench of Election Commission comprising CEC B B Tandon, Mr N Gopalaswamy and Mr Navin Chawla would arrive here tomorrow on a two-day visit to oversee the poll preparedness and law and order situation in the state.

The Commission would hold a meeting with nine political parties to be followed by another with all District Magistrates, Superintendents of Police, District Electoral Officers and Divisional Commissioners on the first day of its visit.

It would meet the Chief Secretary, the Home Secretary, the Director General of Police and the Commissioner of Police the next day before leaving for Guwahati.

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