SEC firm on Central forces

Though Tapas Roy,Secretary,state election comission,refused to divulge the content of the letter,sources said the poll panel has stuck to its stand of deployment of central forces during the panchayat elections.

The state election commission on Thursday sent another letter to the state government citing the Section 43 (2) of the West Bengal Panchayat Act,which states that if the poll panel is of the opinion that it is not possible to hold election as notified by the state government,then it could ask it to revoke its notification.

Though Tapas Roy,Secretary,state election comission,refused to divulge the content of the letter,sources said the poll panel has stuck to its stand of deployment of central forces during the panchayat elections.

Our top priority is security,and we have not yet budged from our stand on the issue, said Roy

Roy,however,added that they are expecting a reply from the state government as in this letter we have apprised them of certain provisions under the Constitution. This is a step and we are waiting for their (governments) reply, Roy added.

While the state election commission has proposed deployment of two armed personnel in every booth during the polls and for which it needs impartial Central forces,the state government has vehemently rejected the idea saying it would hold the elections by deploying state armed police and the addditional forces could be brought from other states.

Central forces for panchayat polls will cost the state Rs 350 crore. We think there is no requirement of them, reiterated Panchayat Minister Subrata Mukherjee today. He said police were capable of conducting the polls.

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