Tamluk, Dec. 21: All 226 booths in Nandigram for the Assembly bypoll on Saturday have been declared sensitive and central gazetted officers deputed to man each of them.

“All the booths are sensitive and that is why the (Election) Commission has decided to deploy a central government employee as micro-observer in every booth to ensure peaceful polling,” deputy election commissioner R. Balakrishnan said today.

In the last Assembly elections in May 2006, the entire constituency had one central observer, district magistrate C.D. Lama said.

This is the first time that “micro-observers” are being deployed in Bengal, said the state’s chief electoral officer, Debasish Sen.

“Booths in Nandigram have been declared sensitive earlier, but the deployment of central government employees as micro-observers is a first.”

Touring Nandigram today with Sen, Balakrishnan met East Midnapore district officials and representatives of political parties.

The central employees, Balakrishnan said, would be present in addition to the polling personnel.

Besides the central observer, there will be five polling personnel, including the presiding officer, in every booth.

“The arrangement is being made to ensure cent per cent polling in Nandigram,” Balakrishnan added.

Sen also called the deputy election commissioner’s Nandigram visit “unprecedented”. “A deputy election commissioner’s visit to oversee preparations for a bypoll is indeed unprecedented. It shows how serious the comm-ission is about ensuring a peaceful election in Nandigram.”

Balakrishnan’s visit followed complaints by Left MPs to the commission last week about “terror unleashed by the Trinamul Congress” and how the CPI candidate could not campaign in 54 booths.

The MPs had also alleged that Trinamul activists were not allowing the return of about 500 front supporters, living away from home out of fear since Trinamul swept the panchayat polls in May.

The homeless figured in talks when Balakrishnan met leaders of the Left parties, Trinamul, SUCI and the BJP at the Nandigram block office, 165km from Calcutta.

“We have received lists of the homeless from both the Left and Trinamul. The commission will see to it that they can return. But those against whom warrants have been issued will have to take bail from court,” he said.

District magistrate Lama promised police protection to the homeless so they can return safely. Trinamul, however, said its 100 supporters would not return home until central forces were deployed.

CPM district secretariat member Nirmal Jana said: “We are satisfied after talking to Balakrishnan.”

The poll panel is “assessing” the need for central for- ces in Nandigram. District magistrate Lama said a decision was likely tomorrow.

Home secretary Asok Mohan Chakrabarti had yesterday said the state had sought 20 companies of central paramilitary for the bypolls in Nandigram, Sujapur in Malda and Para in Purulia.