EC meets top Bengal officials to oversee poll preparedness

Kolkata, Apr 28 (ANI): The full bench of the Election Commission met top officials of the West Bengal Government on Thursday to discuss the poll preparedness for the last three phases of assembly polls. Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi and the other two Election Commissioners, V.S. Sampath and H.S. Brahma, who arrived here today on a day's visit, met the chief secretary, home secretary and Director General of police to review the security arrangements for .

They also interacted with District Magistrate, Police Superintendents, DIGs and IGs of police and divisional commissioners of the seven districts, Howrah, Hooghly, East Midnapore, Burdwan, and maoist-infested West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia, which will go to polls in fourth, fifth and sixth phases.

Earlier, the Election Commission met with the representatives of nine political parties including the CPIM, Trinamool Congress, Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to ascertain their views on various poll related issues.

Earlier, the full team of the Election Commission visited the State on Mar 22 ahead of six phase elections. The first and second phase of voting took place on April 18 and 23 respectively.

Around seventy seven per cent voting was recorded in the third phase of West Bengal assembly polls in 75 seats covering Kolkata, North and South 24 Parganas districts, which took place on April 27.

The fourth phase will take place on May 3, fifth phase on May 7 and sixth phase on May 10. (ANI)