The Election Commission of India, led by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, plans to visit West Bengal on March 9 to assess the post-Special Intensive Revision situation before the 2026 Assembly elections. A review meeting is scheduled for March 10, where polling dates for the crucial elections are expected to be announced if proceedings go as planned. Additionally, a virtual meeting with the State Nodal Police Officer and coordinating officers of central security and investigating agencies has been rescheduled to March 5.
The meeting aims to enhance coordination between state and Central agencies for the effective deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and to strengthen arrangements for pre-poll, poll-day, and post-poll security. Discussions will focus on curbing the misuse of money, liquor, and drugs during elections and ensuring security near international and inter-state borders. The Election Commission recently held a virtual meeting with various officials to review the state’s preparedness following the publication of the final electoral roll on February 28.
Amidst controversy over a spelling error in the name of Supreme Court Justice Joymalya Bagchi in the final electoral roll, the Commission clarified that there were no changes made during the Special Intensive Revision exercise. Former West Bengal Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury urged the Chief Election Commissioner to withhold announcing polling dates until the completion of judicial adjudication on voters’ documents under the “logical discrepancy” category. These documents are currently under examination by judicial officers as per Supreme Court directives.
