With the additional forces, the strength of paramilitary personnel in the state goes up to 750 companies or 75,000 – an unprecedented number. In addition, heavily armed Quick Reaction Teams (QRTs) will be deployed to protect polling officers, candidates and Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), the second senior officer said. Just before the last phase of polling on May 6, the Union home ministry had rushed an additional 50 companies to West Bengal. “Of the 30 companies, some would reach West Bengal only in the last phase scheduled for May 19,” a second senior official who did not want to be named said. “With additional forces, the dependence on local forces is likely to reduce,” a second senior MHA official said.

Source: Hindustan Times May 09, 2019 18:11 UTC