Central forces to be deployed in West Bengal ahead of Assembly elections

In a rare pre-emptive move, the Home Ministry will deploy 480 companies of Central Armed Police Forces in West Bengal ahead of the Assembly elections, which are due in a few months, an Election Commission official said on Saturday (February 21). Typically, central forces are sent to poll-bound states only after the announcement of the election schedule.

The deployment, aimed at area domination, confidence-building measures, and election-related duties, will begin in two phases. The first batch of 240 companies will be inducted by March 1, while the second batch of an equal number will join by March 10. The forces will also be tasked with guarding EVMs at strong rooms and counting centres during the electoral process.

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The contingents will comprise personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB). In the first phase, the 240 companies will include 110 of CRPF, 55 BSF, 21 CISF, 27 ITBP, and 27 SSB. The second phase will include 120 CRPF, 65 BSF, 16 CISF, 20 ITBP, and 19 SSB companies. The entire operation will be overseen by CRPF West Bengal Sector IG Sanjay Yadav.

Meanwhile, the final electoral roll after the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is scheduled to be published on February 28, and the election schedule is expected to be announced in March.

(With agency inputs)