The Union Home Ministry will send 15 more companies of central armed police forces (CAPF) for the by-election to the Dhupguri Assembly constituency in West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district, an official statement said. The forces will be reaching by Saturday, it said.
A notification issued on Wednesday to the West Bengal government said the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has taken the decision on advice from the Election Commission of India. A total of 30 companies of CAPF will be deployed for the Dhupguri bypoll.
It also asked the state government to cooperate with the concerned departments in the deployment.
The bypoll was necessiated following the death of BJP MLA Bishnu Pada Ray on July 25.The bypoll will be held on September 5, and the counting is scheduled on September 8.
The ministry also stated the additional companies would reach the state by Saturday. Wednesday’s order would take the number of CAPF companies deployed in Dhupguri Assembly constituency to 30. The bypoll was necessitated due to the death of former BJP MLA Bishnu Pada Ray on July 25.
The bypoll in the Rajbanshi-dominated seat will be held on September 5, with the counting of votes on September 8.
During the bypoll held in Sagardighi in February this year, the EC had deployed 30 CAPF companies. “We got a positive response in the Sagardighi bypoll and no unwanted incident was reported. So, the EC has decided to deploy 30 companies of CAPF in the Dhupguri bypoll,” said a senior EC official.