In view of the Maoist attacks on the first day of the Lok Sabha polls, the Election Commission has decided to deploy Central Police Forces (CPF) seven days ahead of the polls in all the Maoist-dominated Assembly constituencies in the three districts, which are declared as Left Wing Extremist (LWE) areas by the state.

The Maoist-dominated Parliament constituencies will go to the polls in the first phase scheduled for April 30. Chief Electoral Officer Debashis Sen said the CPF will start marching into the Maoist-hit areas at least five days ahead of the polls for building confidence among the voters of the area.

Incidentally, the decision comes a day after Maoists carried out attacks in many areas which went to the polls on Thursday, leaving at least 19 people dead and several securitymen injured.

“We are taking all preventive measures to make

the polls peaceful and fair in the Maoist-affected areas. Central forces will reach the affected districts on April 21 and by April 22 they will be deployed in various areas,” Sen said.

Deployment of Central forces will be carried out in six Assembly constituencies that fall in the districts of West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura — Jhargram, Binpur, Bandwan, Balarampur, Bagmundi and Joypur.

Sen, however, clarified that no decision has been taken on Lalgarh where tribals have been objecting to the entry of police. A decision on Lalgarh will be taken after the Police Resistance Committee (PRC) leader Chhatradhar Mahato gets back to the EC after their meeting on April 18 on the issue of deploying CPF in Lalgarh.

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