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CEC defends two-phase poll in Gujarat

Special Correspondent

AHMEDABAD: Chief Election Commissioner N. Gopalaswami on Friday defended the two-phase polling schedule for Gujarat.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) and other Left parties questioned the rationale behind the decision when elections were held in three phases in Kerala and five phases in West Bengal last year.

Talking to media persons here, Mr. Gopalaswami, who is on a two-day visit to Gujarat, said the decision to phase out polling in Kerala and West Bengal last year were taken on security considerations, based on the requirements of each State. The two-phase polling in Gujarat had nothing to do with the communal riots witnessed in the State before the last elections. He said the Kerala Director-General of Police had demanded that 300 companies of Central police and para-military forces be provided for a single-phase polling and at least 120 companies if it were to be held in two phases. The Commission could, however, spare only 25 companies.

In West Bengal, the Commission did not insist on bringing in officials from outside the State. For the Assembly elections, the State needed 2,750 companies of security forces because it had more than 50,000 booths in over 38,000 locations. But in Gujarat, the number of polling stations was smaller by 20 per cent and the polling locations by 40 per cent. The State, he said, should require security forces about 40 per cent less than West Bengal, but more security personnel would be provided there.

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