Around 2500 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) would be required if the Bengal Assembly polls are conducted in a single phase, as estimated by the Election Commission of India (ECI). The proposal for a single-phase poll was forwarded to the ECI’s headquarters in New Delhi from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, with the final decision resting with the Commission.
The Commission’s preliminary calculation for the CAPF requirement in case of a single-phase poll stood at 2500 companies. The Commission may discuss the feasibility of arranging these companies with the Union Minister of Home Affairs, which would determine the number of phases for the elections, according to a source within the Commission.
Even if a single-phase poll is not feasible, the number of phases for the upcoming West Bengal elections is expected to be significantly fewer than in previous polls, which had up to seven or eight phases. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, which were the most recent major elections in the state, there were eight phases of polling with 1099 CAPF companies deployed.
In contrast, the 2011 West Bengal assembly elections had a two-phase polling with 725 CAPF companies deployed. The last time West Bengal saw a single-phase polling was during the 2001 state Assembly elections.
The possibility of a single-phase poll in West Bengal comes with both advantages and disadvantages. One advantage is the prevention of political parties from moving supporters between different areas, addressing concerns of outsider mobilization and voter intimidation. However, a single-phase poll would necessitate a larger deployment of CAPF, particularly on the polling day, for which adequate arrangements would be crucial, as per sources in the CEO’s office.
