LOK SABHA ELECTION

9-company Central force in Cooch Behar

COOCH BEHAR, April 26: Nine companies of Central forces including Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Border Security Force (BSF) would be deployed in Cooch Behar district in addition to the existing forces, according to the district magistrate of Cooch Behar Mr RK Sinha. The Central forces will be deployed at all the critical polling booths and also along the bordering areas to maintain peace during the polling process.

Meanwhile, special checking of vehicles is being held along the Assam-Bengal border, the DM said. The co-operation of the police and civil administration of neighbouring Assam has been sought to keep the state border area peaceful during the polling process, he added.

On the otherhand, six Election Commission observers are supervising the election preparation in Cooch Behar district including four in Cooch Behar (SC) Parliamentary Constituency. 364 micro-observers are also engaged to make the polling process smooth, Mr Sinha said.

The BSF have sealed the 523-kilometre long Bangladesh border in Cooch Behar district with effect from yesterday. It will continue till completion of the polling process. The state border with Assam is also being kept under strict surveillance for the period, according to the district magistrate. He has already asked senior BSF officials to maintain strict vigilance along the International border till the end of the polling process. During the period the border would be kept completely sealed, he said.

On the otherhand, the Cooch Behar Sadar SDO has promulgated Section 144 at Panisala and Jiranpur gram panchayat areas under Cooch Behar-I block. Following this order organising of all political or non-political rallies are banned in the concerned areas till 28 May. The order was imposed in a bid to conduct the Lok Sabha election peacefully, the officer-in-charge of district media cell clarified.