The Election Commission of India on Monday imposed Section 144 in West Bengal‘s Bhatpara Assembly Constituency in order to deal with the post-post violence. Section 144 that prohibits the assembly of more than 4 people in an area is imposed for the indefinite time in the Assembly constituency that went to by-polls on May 19 during the seventh and the last phase of elections.
Election Commission: Sec-144 (prohibits assembly of more than 4 people in an area) has been imposed in Bhatpara for undefined time-period to combat post-poll violence. #WestBengal pic.twitter.com/C61uQP9Krz
— ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019
Speaking about the details, Special Police Observer for West Bengal Vivek Dubey said at least 200 companies of security personnel have been deployed in the state keeping in mind the post-poll violence and counting of votes slated for May 23.
‘At least 200 companies of Central Forces will be retained in the state to deal with any post-poll violence and to assist in the counting process slated for May 23, While 500 companies will be moving out of the state’, said Police Vivek Dubey.
The Decision to impose Section 144 in the area comes a day after massive violence erupted in the Assembly Seat during the polling on Sunday between the workers of TMC and BJP. Reportedly bombs were hurled during polling on Sunday.
The Bhatpara Assembly seat has fallen vacant after the sitting Trinamool Congress MLA Arjun Singh defected to the Bharatiya Janata Party and subsequently resigned. He is now contesting the Lok Sabha polls from Barrackpore Lok Sabha constituency in the 2019 polls.
TMC has named former State Transport Minister Madan Mitra against Arjun Singh’s son Pawan for by-polls in the assembly seat.
The Poll Body had on April 20 declared the dates for by-polls in 5 assembly seats of West Bengal. As per the election commission, the assembly seats of – Islampur, Kandi, Nowda, Habibpur, and Bhatpara.
Both TMC and BJP ever since the start of national polls is in loggerheads. BJP in a run-up to the polls is leaving no stone unturned to make a big dent in Mamata’s Bastion and eyeing a lion share from 42 Lok Sabha Seats.
Just like in the last phase, the initial 6 phases also witness similar incidents of violence in the state.
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