Kolkata, Jan 8 The Election Commission of India (ECI) has clarified that the precise deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) for the forthcoming Assembly elections in West Bengal will be determined by the extent to which state police personnel can be deployed for poll-related security.
The determining factor will also be on how and where the available state police personnel will be deployed by the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, for election-related security.
Sources in the CEO’s office said an estimate has been drawn that around 35,000 personnel from the West Bengal Police, Kolkata, and other Police Commissionerates in the state could be deployed for election-related security.
Based on the estimate, the CEO’s office has also given an estimate that around 2,000 companies of CAPF, which is roughly around 2,40,000 personnel, might be required, which will be double than the average of 1,000 companies during the last four elections in the state.
This time, the requirement for CAPF deployment would be more, considering the suggestion to complete the polls in one or a maximum of two phases, compared to seven to eight phases during the last four elections.
“In case there is any shortage for the required deployment of CAPF, considering that there will be Assembly polls in three other states and one union territory at the same time, the deficit could be met through the deployment of personnel from state police forces from other states,” a CEO’s office source explained.
The CEO’s office insider pointed out that the eventuality of a single-phase or two-phase poll in West Bengal in 2026 will have both its advantages and disadvantages.
“The advantage is that political parties will not be able to mobilise their supporters from one pocket to another and thus address the traditional complaint of outsider mobilisation on the polling day or the day before that, intimidating the voters,” the source pointed out.
However, that single-phase or two-phase polling would require a larger deployment of CAPF, especially on the polling day. “If the CECI can ensure that arrangement, the idea of a single-phase or two-phase poll is quite feasible,” the CEO’s office source explained.
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