LS polls: Bengal's Raiganj to have maximum CAPF deployment in 2nd phase

Raiganj Lok Sabha constituency in North Dinajpur district of West Bengal will have the maximum deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel among the three constituencies in the state that will go to polls in the second phase on 26 April.

The three constituencies going to polls are -- Raiganj, Darjeeling and Balurghat.

Sources in the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Ariz Aftab said that currently, 303 companies of CAPF are in West Bengal, out of which 272 companies will be deployed for the three Lok Sabha constituencies.

It is learnt that as many as 111 companies will be deployed for Raiganj, the maximum among the three. Darjeeling will have 88 companies and 73 companies will be deployed at Balurghat.

Of the 111 companies to be deployed for Raiganj, the maximum deployment will be for the Islampur Assembly constituency, one of the seven under this Lok Sabha.

Sources said that there are reasons for keeping Raiganj under special scanner as the Election Commission of India (ECI) did in the case of Cooch Behar in the first phase on 19 April.

It is learnt that of the 1,730 polling booths at Raiganj, 418 or 24 per cent are highly sensitive booths. The figure is comparatively higher compared to that of Darjeeling where 20 per cent of the booths are extra sensitive. In the case of Balurghat, the figure is 19 per cent.

In the first phase, 100 per cent of the polling booths were covered under web-casting and similar will be followed in the second phase as well. Through this web-casting the officials of the CEO's office will be able to monitor the developments at the polling booths directly from the control room of the officials.