Kolkata, June 22 (IANS): In an attempt to ensure free and fair polling during the Assembly bypolls in four seats in West Bengal on July 10, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has decided to have webcasting facilities at all the polling booths across the four constituencies.
Sources in the office of the state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) said that in the recent Lok Sabha polls, complaints were received regarding malfunctioning of the webcasting system from some booths.
“Strict instructions have been received to make proper preparations so that the webcasting system remains full-proof at all the booths this time,” said an official in the CEO's office.
The Election Commission also wants the entire polling process to be conducted under blanket security cover of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), for which 55 companies of CAPF are being deployed.
“The number is quite high considering that only four Assembly constituencies are going to the polls on July 10,” the official said.
Of the 55 companies, 51 will be deployed at the polling stations while the remaining companies will be kept on reserve.
The maximum deployment (15) will be made in Bagda in North 24 Parganas district, followed by 12 each in Maniktala in Kolkata, Raiganj in North Dinajpur district, and Ranaghat Dakshin in Nadia district.
The results of the bypolls will be announced on July 13.