Opposition parties demand central forces for municipal poll

Opposition parties in West Bengal today demanded deployment of central forces for the upcoming municipal elections in the state, including the prestigious Kolkata Municipal Corporation election, as the CPI(M) called for deferment of the proposed poll dates.
"All political parties, other than the Trinamool Congress and NCP, demanded that central forces be deployed for the municipal elections," West Bengal state election commissioner Susanta Ranjan Upadhyay told PTI here.
"We have, however, already written to the Election Commission that central forces be deployed in certain areas to ensure free and fair polls," he said after an all-party meeting called by the WBSEC to discuss the preparations for the elections.

"We have asked for 50 companies of central forces for the KMC elections and 50 companies for the elections to the other municipalities," Upadhayay said.
Elections are due to be held in April to the KMC and more than 80 other municipal bodies across the state.
The state government has proposed that KMC elections be held on April 18 and the rest on April 25.
Upadhyay said that the CPI(M) had demanded that "the proposed dates for the elections be deferred as it is very close to the Bengali New Year date on April 14 and that some papers of CBSE examination are also scheduled to be held on April 18."

All parties concurred on the demand for SEC to adopt the voter list updated till the nomination dates, the commissioner said.