Friday, December 2 2005 10:08 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kolkata: Expressing its reservation on the Election Commission's recent directive to shift polling stations located within 200 metres of party offices on poll day in West Bengal due next year, the Communist Party of India Marxist (CPI-M) yesterday (Dec 01, 2005) demanded that it issue orders to close offices of all political parties and deploy forces to guard them.

In a memorandum to the Chief Election Commissioner B B Tandon at Raj Bhavan here, the CPI(M) said, "offices of political parties other than State Committee, District Committee and Zonal Committees be closed on the date of poll".

"Higher Committee offices, like State, District and Zonal Committees be guarded on the date of poll by deploying force, so that no untoward incident may take place", the memorandum, signed by CPI(M) state Secretary Anil Biswas, said.

"This pointing is in consideration of trouble which may cause harassment to electors at large due to change of polling station. In Kolkata it may not be possible to find a convenient place for such a station", it added.

The CPI(M) said that while final publication of electoral rolls in West Bengal would be made on February 15, electronic photo identity cards would be taken up after that.

"This work needs to be taken up in spread area and period, because final examinations like Madhyamik and Madrassa Boards are scheduled to start from February 23-24. Otherwise, students, whose name would appear, would suffer".