LOK SABHA ELECTION

Additional force to maintain peace today

Cooch Behar is ready for the counting of polled votes for the Cooch Behar (SC) Parliamentary constituency. Additional police forces will be deployed to avert post-poll violence tomorrow.

The district magistrate of Cooch Behar Mr RK Sinha said all arrangements have been made to hold the counting process peacefully at Cooch Behar Polytechnic. Kesab Road, the street by which the institute situated, would be kept closed for ordinary vehicular traffic. Local residents of the road however can be able to get in and out of their residences without any trouble, the DM assured.

Securitymen on duty were asked to check entrants to the counting centre premises with metal detectors. Metal detector doorframes will also be used. The EFR forces are keeping a strict vigil on the strong-rooms at the building.

Four Election Commission observers are to supervise the counting process. After each round of counting they will examine two Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) to ensure that the counting was done in exact manner. The result will be announced after each round of counting and the final result will be declared after ensuring that all was done well. It will be announced after being signed by the observers.

The superintendent of police, Mr DP Singh said 200 police forces brought from outside of the district would be deployed in addition to the existing district police forces. As the EC has instructed a three-tier security arrangement at the counting venue there will be strong security measures, the SP said.

Meanwhile, all the police stations were alerted to keep watch on the situation to avert incidents of post-poll violence. Restrictions were already promulgated asking all not to hold any procession tomorrow and the police stations were asked to take actions in case of any violation of the orders. From the day after tomorrow the political parties can be able to hold rallies but that should be done with prior permission from the police, the SP added.

On the otherhand, the sub-divisional officer of Cooch Behar Sadar, Mr Sanjib Chaki promulgated Section 144 (1) Cr PC from 6 a.m. of 16 May to 6 a.m. of 17 May in Cooch Behar sub-division. Following this order restriction has been imposed on holding of any procession in Cooch Behar Sadar. The SDO has imposed the order apprehending breach of peace on the counting day.