Kolkata, April 22 (Inditop) The Election Commission Wednesday announced that the Lok Sabha poll in West Bengal’s tribal-dominated Lalgarh would take place as scheduled on April 30.
The decision was taken following a tripartite meeting between the poll panel, state government officials and the tribal organisation which was opposing the entry of the security forces into the troubled region to supervise the election.
“The election will be conducted in four different areas – Pirakata, Lalgarh, Ramgarh and Bhimpur – with the help of central paramilitary forces. We will provide adequate number of buses in these four areas so that voters can easily come and exercise their franchise,” West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Debashis Sen told reporters after emerging from the tripartite meeting at Midnapore Circuit House, about 120 km from here.
Sen said: “The polling booths will be shifted to different school buildings at all these four locations, where everyone will have to come to cast their votes. The decision has been taken considering the gravity of the situation.”
“All the three parties have taken this decision unanimously in the meeting.”
Sen said that additional reserve force would also be kept on standby to tackle any untoward incident in Lalgarh on the election day.
“We are hopeful to get assistance from the local population in the region,” Sen said.
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