Kolkata, 22 April (H.S.) : The Election Commission will bring an international delegation to West Bengal to observe the polling situation during the ongoing Assembly elections, sources said on Wednesday.

According to Commission sources, the delegation will arrive in the state next Wednesday, a day before the first phase of polling. The team is scheduled to inspect polling arrangements and security measures on Thursday. Sources added that the delegation would also visit Tamil Nadu.

Meanwhile, the Commission has announced the deployment of 2,321 companies of central forces for the second phase of the Assembly elections scheduled for April 29. According to a notification issued on Tuesday, the highest deployment of 507 companies will be in North 24 Parganas district.

For the first phase of polling, the Commission has deployed 2,407 companies of central forces. Of these, the highest number — 316 companies — has been assigned to Murshidabad district, including 240 companies in Murshidabad police district and 76 in the Jangipur area.

District-wise Deployment for Second Phase

North 24 Parganas:

112 companies in Barasat police district, 62 in Bangaon, 123 in Basirhat, 50 in Bidhannagar and 160 in Barrackpore.

South 24 Parganas:

113 companies in Sundarbans, 161 in Baruipur and 135 in Diamond Harbour.

Howrah:

147 companies in rural Howrah and 110 in the Howrah Police Commissionerate area.

Nadia:

158 companies in Krishnanagar police district and 127 in Ranaghat police district.

Hooghly:

83 companies in Chandannagar Police Commissionerate area and 234 in rural Hooghly.

Purba Bardhaman:

260 companies will be deployed across 4,465 polling stations.

Paschim Bardhaman:

13 companies will be deployed in the Asansol-Durgapur Police Commissionerate area covering 195 polling stations.

Kolkata:

273 companies of central forces will be deployed across 5,172 polling stations in the state capital.

The Commission said each company of central forces would consist of at least 72 personnel, in line with guidelines already issued by the Union Home Ministry.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh