The Election Commission of India (ECI) has stated that the deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) for the upcoming Assembly elections in West Bengal will depend on the availability of state police personnel for security purposes. The decision will also hinge on how and where the state police personnel are allocated by the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal for election-related security.
According to sources in the CEO’s office, an estimate suggests that approximately 35,000 personnel from the West Bengal Police, Kolkata, and other Police Commissionerates in the state could be assigned for election-related security. Based on this estimate, the CEO’s office anticipates a need for around 2,000 CAPF companies, totaling about 2,40,000 personnel, which is double the average number of companies deployed in the last four state elections.
Given the proposal to conduct the polls in one or two phases, as opposed to the previous seven to eight phases, there is a heightened requirement for CAPF deployment this time. In case of any shortfall in the required CAPF deployment, due to simultaneous Assembly polls in three other states and one union territory, the deficiency may be addressed by deploying personnel from state police forces of other states, as explained by a source from the CEO’s office.
The possibility of a single-phase or two-phase election in West Bengal in 2026 presents both advantages and disadvantages, according to an insider from the CEO’s office. While it may prevent political parties from moving their supporters across different areas to influence voters, ensuring a larger CAPF deployment, especially on the polling day, would be crucial for the success of such a condensed election schedule.
