This bypoll,all Assembly seats ‘sensitive’

“In the prevailing situation in the state,we have categorised all the 10 Assembly seats as sensitive. We have made necessary security arrangements to make the bypolls safe,” said Chief Electoral Officer Debashish Sen.

The Assembly constituencies where by-elections will be held are Kalchini and Rajganj in Jalpaiguri district,Goalpokhar in North Dinajpur,Sujapur in Malda,Bongaon and Belgachhia East in North 24-Parganas,Alipore in South 24-Parganas,Serampore in Hooghly,Contai South and Egra in East Midnapore.

The Election Commission has deployed 37 companies of Central forces for conducting the elections. Three companies will be deployed in the areas where strongrooms have been set up.

“As per the observation of EC officials,Belghachhia (East) is highly sensitive among the 10 seats since it has become a prestige issue for both the CPM and the Trinamool to win there. We have deployed eight companies of central forces there — the highest deployment of the Central forces,” said an EC official.

In the bypolls,19.57 lakh electors will cast their votes in 2,407 polling stations spread across ten assembly constituencies. A senior EC official said the Commission has received around 20 complaints of model code violation.

“Railway Minister Mamata Banerjeee yesterday went to Arambag in Hooghly and held a meeting there. She reportedly used her convoy for reaching the spot. There is an Assembly segment in the Hooghly district which will go to the polls. The movement of any leader or minister with government machineries is restricted after the election date was declared. Apparently,it is a case of code-violation. However,we have not yet received any complaint about it,” said the official.