Stay in West Bengal, Odisha beyond June 4: EC to security forces

NEW DELHI: To avert any post-poll violence, Election Commission has asked adequate central para-military forces to remain deployed in West Bengal and Odisha for 15 days after counting gets over on June 4.
EC has also issued orders to provide security forces to Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh till 48 hours after counting day.
Andhra Pradesh had reported several incidents of violence in Ananthapuramu, Palnadu, Tirupati and other districts after polling there on May 13.EC had summoned the state chief secretary and DGP to New Delhi to explain the failure of the local administration to contain the incidents. It subsequently suspended the district magistrate of Palnadu and SPs of Ananthapuramu and Palnadu and ordered the transfer of SP, Tirupati.
It was at that time that EC had asked 2,500 central para-military personnel to be retained in Andhra Pradesh after counting day.
West Bengal has witnessed several incidents of mob violence and disruptions over the seven-phase polling in the state, including looting of EVM by a mob and throwing of EVM and VVPAT in a pond in Joynagar on Saturday.
Counting will be held on June 4 for all the parliamentary constituencies as well as for the assembly polls in four states. As per the counting procedures, postal ballots must be counted first. After 30 minutes of the commencement of counting of postal ballots, counting of votes from EVMs should start. Counting of VVPAT slips from five randomly-selected polling stations per assembly segment will be taken up only after completion of counting of votes from the control units of EVMs.
In the rare event of a discrepancy between vote count from the EVM and that of VVPAT slips, the VVPAT count shall prevail.