Dy Election Commissioners take stock of poll arrangements

Barasat, Apr 25 (UNI) Deputy Election Commissioners Anand Kumar and R Balakrishnan today took stock of the poll arrangements in North 24 parganas going to third phase West Bengal Assembly election on April 27.

Security personnel have started taking positions in the respective booths, they said.

Proper security arrangements would be taken in all the booths to thwart any possible extremist attacks, the EC officials said.

''We have also made special communication arrangements for the isolated riverine areas of Sunderban,'' they said.

State's Chief Electoral Officer Debasish Sen and Chief Controlling officer and IG Subhas Goswami accompanied the officials.

Altogether 250 companies of central paramilitary force were deployed in North 24 parganas to hold elections in more than 5000 booths, they said.

At least 7000 policemen would also guard the 1000 polling booths marked as sensitive and 1941 as hypersensitive.

Meanwhile, South 24 parganas District Magistrate Roshni Sen said in all 149 candidates would try their luck from 28 constituencies of South 24 parganas.

She said the Central forces had already arrived and started taking positions.

She said special arrangements has been made to enable polling in late hours in case the voting continues for a long time.

UNI XC TJP/SJC YA VP1852