State Election Commissioner Ashok Gupta said on Tuesday that the commission feels that at least two armed personnel would be required at every polling booth.

“We have asked the state government to make arrangements for policemen at the booths and proposed to create a sector office to cover 10 booths,” said Gupta.

In 2003 panchayat polls, CPM had won 6,000 seats without any contest.

Opposition had alleged that the ruling CPM had used muscle power and threatened the Opposition candidates not to file their nominations.

SEC also announced the three-phase panchayat poll schedule on Tuesday. Polls in East and West Midnapore, Bankura, Purulia and Burdwan will be held on May 11.

In the second phase voting will take place on May 14 in North and South 24 Parganas, Nadia, Howrah and Hooghly.

On May 18, apart from the two South Bengal districts, the North Bengal districts scheduled for polling are Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri, North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur, Malda, Murshidabad and Birbhum.

Gupta said the commission will issue formal notice on Wednesday, April 9 and the model code of conduct will come into force on the same day, which would be applicable to all the political parties and candidates.

The last date for filing of nominations is April 16 for first two phases, April 19 for third phase and the last date of withdrawal of nominations is April 21.

The budget for holding the elections would be increased to Rs 88 crore from Rs 57 crore in 2003. A major portion of the expenditure will be incurred to bring ballot boxes from Orissa and Jharkhand.