The Election Commission of India has deployed 1,071 companies of Central forces for polling in 45 Assembly seats across six districts of West Bengal on Saturday. Going by the deployment of Central armed police forces in the four earlier phases, this is the highest ever deployment of forces. This is also the highest number of Assembly seats going to polls in any phase in the marathon eight phase election in the State.
In North 24 Parganas, over 280 companies of Central forces have been deployed for 16 Assembly seats. Darjeeling has about 142 companies. Purba Bardhaman, where eight seats are going to the polls, will have 155 companies, and Nadia district, where a similar number of seats are going to the polls, will have 151 companies. Thirteen seats in north Bengal are spread across three districts — five in Darjeeling, seven in Jalpaiguri and one in Kalimpong. In south Bengal, 16 seats are spread across North 24 Parganas, and there are eight each in Nadia and Bardhaman.
