Calcutta, April 12: The Election Commission will post its own personnel in the district and subdivisional police headquarters on polling day “to keep watch” on the force.

“The district headquarters and the police headquarters will be at the same venue and expenditure observers will sit at the controlroom through the polling day,” chief electoral officer Debashis Sen said.

Officials said this is the commission’s way of ensuring prompt police action on D-day.

“The expenditure observers usually return to Delhi on the day of election. However, this time they’re being asked to stay back to keep watch on the police. These observers will monitor whether any complaint is being ignored and the time being taken to initiate action,” an official said.

Sen returned from a two-day tour of Purulia, Bankura, West Midnapore, Howrah and East Midnapore this evening. On the trip to monitor the districts’ poll preparedness, deputy election commissioner Anand Kumar accompanied him.

Paramilitary forces will be deployed at all booths in the first and second phase of elections, Kumar said. “We’re not singling out booths as sensitive. The central forces will be posted at all booths.”

Kumar added that he had instructed the force commandants in all the districts to ensure that the personnel were friendly and co-operative with the people. CRPF inspector-general Subhash Goswami has been appointed nodal officer for co-ordination among the paramilitary deployed here.

“Phone numbers of all observers, SPs and force commandants will be displayed inside polling booths. Those who want to lodge complaints should dial them,” said Kumar.

Deputy election commissioner R. Balakrishnan will arrive here tomorrow to review the preparedness of Hooghly and Nadia, which will go to polls in the second phase.