EC deploys additional counting, police observers in Bengal

Ahead of the counting of votes in West Bengal scheduled for Monday, the Election Commission on Saturday deployed an additional 165 counting observers and 77 police observers in the state.

The poll agency said the additional counting observers would assist the 294 observers already deployed per constituency, but additional police observers would strengthen security and monitor law and order arrangements outside counting centres.

Police observers are not usually deployed during vote counting, but in this case they will not be allowed to enter counting centers and will only maintain law and order outside, officials said.
Two-phase voting for 294 Assembly seats in Bengal took place on April 23 and April 29. The results will be announced on May 4.