Special scanning is being conducted at unfenced stretches along the international border with Bangladesh in West Bengal districts set for the second phase of the state’s Assembly elections on April 29, following the Election Commission of India’s instructions. The Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal, Manoj Kumar Agarwal, mentioned that heightened security measures, including increased naka checking and Border Security Force vigilance, are in place to ensure fair and peaceful polls near the unfenced borders. With a lower number of Assembly constituencies and polling booths compared to the first phase, tighter surveillance and security arrangements are being implemented for the upcoming phase.
In the first phase, polling took place at 45,000 booths across 152 Assembly constituencies spanning 16 districts, while the second phase will see polling at 40,000 booths across 142 constituencies in six districts and Kolkata. The CEO highlighted that the second phase will have 95 police observers, an increase from the 84 deployed in the first phase, leading to enhanced security coverage and surveillance during this phase.
A total of 2,348 companies of central forces, including the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and personnel from other states, will be deployed in the second phase, along with West Bengal Police and Kolkata Police personnel. Notably, North 24 Parganas district will witness the highest deployment of central forces with 507 companies, followed by South 24 Parganas with 409 companies. Additionally, coastal patrolling in the Sundarbans region, spanning South 24 Parganas and North 24 Parganas districts, has been intensified due to the extensive coastal boundary shared with Bangladesh.
