Poll panel to retain 400 companies of central forces in Bengal till June 6

Kolkata: To maintain law and order, the Election Commission has decided to retain 400 companies of central forces in West Bengal till June 6, a senior official said on Friday.

‘After the June 1 polling, half of the central forces will leave the state and 400 companies will remain until June 6. Battalions of the BSF, CRPF, and SSB will be retained,’ he told PTI.

Meanwhile, on Friday night, Kolkata Police seized over Rs 10 lakh from four bikers during checking near Howrah Bridge. They were detained, police added.

The seventh and final phase of the Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal will cover Dum Dum, Barasat, Basirhat, Jayanagar, Mathurapur, Diamond Harbour, Jadavpur, Kolkata Dakshin, and Kolkata Uttar.

A total of 1.63 crore voters – 83.19 lakh men, 80.20 lakh women, and 538 belonging to the third gender – are eligible to exercise their franchise in 17,470 polling stations on June 1.