Polling for Bengal by-elections begins peacefully

Kolkata, Nov 07 : Amid elaborate security, polling for by-elections to ten West Bengal Assembly constituencies began peacefully today.

Official sources said the polling was going on smoothly and no untoward incident had been reported so far.

In all 40 companies of paramilitary forces and state armed police have been deployed to maintain security across all the ten constituencies - Bealgachia (East), Kalchini (ST), Rajganj (SC), Sujapur, Goalpokhar, Bongaon, Contai South, Egra, Serampore and Alipore where polling was being held.

Close circuit cameras have also been installed in some sensitive booths to monitor the situation during the polling process.

Nine seats fell vacant as the sitting MLAs were elected to the Lok Sabha, while the death of Subhash Chakraborty, a prominent leader and Minister of the CPI(M), necessitated by-elections to Belgachia (East) constituency.

The CPI(M) has fielded candidates in five constituencies while the opposition Trinamool Congress is contesting seven. The Congress and the Left allies have fielded candidates in the others.

--UNI

(c) 2009 Published with permission from United News of India.
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