The Election Commission of India has decided to deploy 200 extra companies of central forces at counting centres in Bengal — a decision that is seen as the fallout of Opposition’s apprehensions that law and order could deteriorate during the counting of votes on May 23.
The poll panel had already deployed 82 companies of central forces to guard strong rooms where EVMs are kept.
“Additional forces will be deployed at 58 counting centres across the state and they could be used to tackle law and order problems outside the centres, if required. The additional forces will be in the state till May 27,” said a senior government official.
Reports from various districts that reached Nabanna on Tuesday hinted that law and order had turned worse at many places and there were political clashes in many areas.
Citing the reports, sources said there was tension in Cooch Behar’s Sitai, where three BJP supporters had been attacked by alleged ruling party workers and two of them had sustained serious injuries.
Besides, law and order in Bhatpara worsened on Tuesday as clashes between two groups could not be controlled over the past 48 hours.
“Retaining 200 companies of central forces appears to be a wise decision in a situation like this,” said an official.
Opposition parties, mainly the BJP, had approached the ECI for deployment of central forces in the state even after counting of votes as it apprehended that the supporters of the saffron party could be attacked by Trinamul workers.
BJP leader and Union minister Nirmala Sitharaman had demanded in New Delhi on Monday that the central forces be kept in Bengal for a few days to ensure that workers of her party didn’t face attacks from Trinamul loyalists.