The Election Commission of India has announced the deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) for the upcoming West Bengal elections. The CAPF deployment will occur in two phases, with the first phase scheduled for March 1, before the polling dates are declared and the model code of conduct is enforced. The second phase of CAPF deployment is set for March 10, likely after the announcement of polling dates and the enforcement of the model code of conduct.
According to the notification, a total of 480 companies will be deployed in these initial phases, with 240 companies in each phase. The first phase on March 1 will include companies from various forces like the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Indo-Tibetan Police Force (ITBP), and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB). The second phase on March 10 will also see the deployment of 240 companies, with a similar distribution among the different forces.
The Election Commission is expected to announce the polling days soon after Holi, as indicated. The de-induction process of these 480 companies will be communicated in due course, as per the ECI’s notification. Additionally, the West Bengal government has been instructed to collaborate with the respective CAPFs and their chief force coordinators to plan the detailed deployment, which will be coordinated by the CRPF.
