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The Union home ministry has turned down the West Bengal government proposal to deploy central paramilitary forces for panchayat polls scheduled for next month. The state government had sought 300 companies,comprising 25,000 personnel,for the election.
A senior ministry official said the Centre does not provide security personnel for local body polls to any state and that it was the onus of state government to provide security. We dont provide Central forces to any state. These are local body polls, the official said.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had on Monday rejected the State Election Commission (SEC) demand for 1.49 lakh security personnel for the first phase of poll,stating that the state did not have requisite forces.
The state unit of the Congress,too,had pressed for central forces as they feared that the state police will not be able to handle the law and order situation.
Meanwhile,the Division bench of Calcutta High Court on Tuesday asked the counsel of the SEC to serve a notice to the central government. The court was hearing an SEC application that alleged that the state government has not informed it about the availability of the security forces. The High Court would continue hearing the case on Wednesday.
On Monday,the state Governor had reportedly approached the Centre seeking its help. L C Bihani,SEC counsel,said the HC had directed the state government to provide adequate security personnel for the polls. More than a month has elapsed,but the state government has not informed the SEC about it, he said.
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