Kolkata: Ahead of the bypoll, 20 more companies of central forces were deployed in the Bhabanipur constituency pushing the total to 35.
According to Election Commission sources, sensing untoward incidents might take place at Bhabanipur for which they have increased the number of central forces in the evening.
According to a senior police officer, Section 144 of the CrPc is imposed within 200 m of the polling centres.
Three jawans along with Kolkata police officers will be deployed at 287 booths at 97 polling centres in Bhabanipur.
Police pickets were set up at 38 locations across Bhabanipur. According to police sources, 22 sector mobile, nine HRFS (Heavy Radio Flying Squad) teams, 13 quick response teams (QRTs), nine teams each of the static surveillance team, flying squad, and an equal number of striking forces from surrounding police stations will be deployed on Thursday.
Apart from these, there will be micro observers at every booth and web casting will also be conducted at every booth.
According to a Kolkata Police notice, assembly of five or more persons in 200 m of any polling premises will not be permitted. A ban has also been imposed on anybody carrying stones, weapons, firecrackers and other explosive materials during the polling hours.
Meanwhile, owing to the bad weather, the Election Commission on Wednesday gave raincoats to people involved with the polling process.
EVM and VVPAT machines were seen wrapped with thin polythene so that the machines are not damaged.
Shades have been made outside the polling booths as there are predictions that owing to the depression over Gangetic Bay of Bengal, Kolkata and its adjoining areas will receive scattered rainfall even on Thursday.
Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) people were seen since morning clearing the waterlogged streets so that no chaos happens on the polling day and the voters can freely visit the cast their votes.
In the high octane Bhabanipur bypoll, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is the TMC candidate, contesting from BJP is Priyanka Tibrewal and CPI (M)’s Srijib Biswas is also in the fray.
Check out pictures:
West Bengal, Sep 29 (ANI): A Polling official carries an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) inside a plastic bag as he leaves for the polling booth amid heavy rainfall on the eve of the Bhabanipur by-election, in Kolkata on Wednesday. | (ANI Photo)
West Bengal, Sep 29 (ANI): Polling officials carrying voting materials leave for poll duty amid rains, on the eve of Bhabanipur by-election, in Kolkata on Wednesday. | (ANI Photo)
West Bengal, Sep 29 (ANI): Police personnel enquires with Polling officials who carrying voting materials for poll duty, on the eve of the Bhabanipur by-election, in Kolkata on Wednesday. | (ANI Photo)
West Bengal, Sep 29 (ANI): Polling officials put an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) inside a plastic bag to protect it from heavy rainfall to be taken to the polling booth on the eve of the Bhabanipur by-election, in Kolkata on Wednesday. | (ANI Photo)
West Bengal, Sep 29 (ANI): Polling officials put an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) inside a plastic bag to protect it from rainfall to be taken to the polling booth on the eve of the Bhabanipur by-election, in Kolkata on Wednesday. | (ANI Photo)
