Inter-state borders in Maoist-hit districts to be sealed

Inter-state borders of three Maoist-hit districts of West Bengal with Bihar and Jharkhand will be sealed soon to prevent movement of ultras and undesirable elements ahead of the five-phase Assembly elections beginning April 17.

The Election Commission will convene a meeting of the chief secretaries, home secretaries and director generals of police of the three states in New Delhi on April 4 to finalise the issue, West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Debasish Sen said in Kolkata Saturday.

"The meeting will discuss border sealing and patrolling by central forces," Sen told reporters.

Meanwhile, a total of 63, 84 and 98 candidates were left in the fray on scrutiny Saturday in the three Maoist prone districts of Bankura, Purulia and West Midnapore scheduled to go to polls in the first phase of elections on April 17, Sen said.

Notification for the 77 Assembly constituencies in three districts -- North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas and Kolkata -- going to polls in the third phase, were issued during the day.

Barring two, all the 45 general observers and 10 expenditure observers have arrived in West Bengal to oversee the poll process, Sen said.