Despite a series of complaints against West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sunil Gupta by several opposition political parties, Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath today gave him a clean chit.

“The Election Commission is satisfied with the performance of its officials,” Sampath told reporters here after reviewing poll preparedness in the state, besides interacting with representatives of political parties.

Expressing satisfaction over the state’s law and order situation, the CEC said, “By and large, law and order in the state is satisfactory.”

Sampath, however, laid emphasis on ensuring that steps taken by the administration was prompt and without any bias.

“This will help them to keep criminal elements under check,” he said.

Advising the administration to be prompt and sincere in dealing with violations of Model Code of Conduct and keeping the Commission abreast with status reports of FIRs, the CEC said, “The Commission will come down heavily on those officials against whom complaints of partiality and inaction will be proved.”

Replying to a question on demands by opposition political parties for conducting the entire election process with deployment of central forces, Sampath refused to divulge details about force deployment and said, “This will be more than double the deployment of force than in the last election (2011 Assembly polls) in the state.”

He also said, “Each polling station will be covered by two armed guards this time as law and order has been given a special thrust.”

A total of 6.24 crore electorate in West Bengal would cast their vote from 77,243 polling stations, where elections would be held in five phases beginning April 17, Sampath said.

During his meeting with the state’s senior officials, the CEC also sought details regarding inter-state and international border guarding.

“If required, we will take up the issue with the Union Ministry of Home Affairs,” the CEC added.

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