For the first time probably, the
Darjeeling district magistrate has passed an order to political parties
to refrain from hold victory rallies after the poll results are declared
on May 16.
Darjeeling DM Punit Yadav today said the
administration will not allow any victory rally after the counting
process is over. This is in compliance with a directive of the Election
Commissioner urging for maintaining law and order in town areas.
Yadav today conducted a meeting at the
circuit house in Siliguri where the Siliguri commissioner of police, the
SDO and political party representatives were present.
According to the DM, counting for the
three Mahakumas of the hills is to be held at the Gorkha Rangashala
Bhawan in Darjeeling, while Siliguri College is the venue for counting
for the four Mahakumas of the plains, beginning 8am on May 16.
He added to facilitate counting with
considerable quickness, a request has been sent to the EC to increase
the number of tables in both Darjeeling and Siliguri. Hence, the single
table allotted for counting purposes has been increased to four this
year.
Yadav has also requested the EC to
increase the counting tables for electronic ballot from 14 to 20. He
said the counting process will be completed in 23 rounds this time.
Meanwhile, Siliguri police commissioner
Jag Mohan said for peace-keeping purposes, 250 metropolitan police
jawans will be deployed in the counting centres along with himself and
four assistant police commissioners.
He said, “I will be present at the
counting venues until the entire process is over,” adding three security
personnel will be posted to guard the counting centres with a district
police representative be in the first corner, a state armed force jawan
in the second and a para-military force personnel in the third. He said
law and order will be maintained by the district and state armed police,
while the para-military forces will be deployed to conduct the counting
process. There will also be ‘Naka Checks’ throughout town areas.(EOIC)