Kolkata: The Election Commission on Monday said Central forces would remain in West Bengal till May 23 after the conclusion of the six-phase Assembly elections on May 10.
"The forces will stay back in different districts of the state, particularly in those pockets where chances of violence are high," Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sunil Gupta told reporters in Kolkata.
He said the Central forces would be retained till May 23, 10 days after the counting exercise on May 13.
Gupta said the EC is fully prepared to meet challenges in the 14 "extremists-prone" constituencies spread over three districts which will go to polls tomorrow in the sixth and final phase.
"Based on reports from intelligence and other agencies, we have prepared our strategy. We have worked out a security system and made it fool-proof," he said.
Besides 41 companies of Central forces permanently stationed in the three districts to tackle the Maoist threat, 614 more companies of the forces - 316 in West Midnapore, 163 in Purulia and 135 in Bankura - in addition to a huge number of state forces, will be deployed for the polls, EC officials said.
They said roughly one lakh state and Central forces would be deployed to maintain security in 3,534 polling stations in the three districts where 26,57,434 electors would cast their votes.
"We have also received force enhancer capabilities such as advance communication systems like SAT phones and night vision devices from the Home Ministry and other agencies which we will use fully to make the security system fool-proof," Gupta said.
All inter-state and inter-district borders have been sealed to prevent any infiltration. Three helicopters would undertake air-surveillance and co-ordinate with ground forces to thwart any subversive activity, the CEO said.
Arrangements have also been made to air-lift victims of violence in the event of an emergency.
"We will also use advance medical equipment like 'Quick Clot Kit' to deal with any medical emergency," Gupta added.
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