The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal, Manoj Kumar Agarwal, is set to participate in a crucial meeting led by the Chief Election Commissioner (CEO), Gyanesh Kumar, at the Election Commission of India (ECI) headquarters in Delhi. The meeting aims to address the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) requirements for the upcoming state Assembly elections. Also attending will be the CEOs of other states heading for polls, including Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry.
Sources within the CEO’s office revealed that West Bengal’s case is unique, with a focus on the necessity for increased CAPF deployment due to the proposed reduction in voting phases compared to previous elections. The suggestion is to conduct the elections in a single phase or a maximum of two phases, necessitating a higher number of CAPF companies. These crucial matters are slated for discussion during the meeting at the ECI’s office in New Delhi.
In the previous Assembly elections of 2021, West Bengal witnessed voting across eight phases, spanning from March 27 to April 29. In 2016, the elections were conducted over six phases, with the first phase spread across two days, effectively making it a seven-phase poll. Additionally, the CEO will present an overview of the law and order situation at polling booths in West Bengal, collated from various district police authorities, Kolkata Police, and other police commissionerates to the ECI.
The meeting will also cover strategies for the effective utilization of Central and state police forces to curb the flow of unaccounted money, prevent the entry of individuals with criminal backgrounds, and enhance border security measures. With only about three months left until the polls, discussions will include sealing international borders and intensifying surveillance at state boundaries. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, during a recent visit to West Bengal, mentioned that the Assembly elections are expected to conclude by April this year.
