Election Commission tightens security for second phase of Bengal polls

The Election Commission of India has directed enhanced security measures for the second phase of Assembly elections in West Bengal on April 29. Over 2,300 companies of central forces will be deployed, with the highest concentration in North and South 24 Parganas.

Kolkata: Following instructions from the Election Commission of India (ECI), special scanning is being carried out at unfenced stretches along the international border with Bangladesh in districts of West Bengal that will go to the polls in the second phase of the two-phase Assembly elections in the state on April 29.

“Special checking is taking place near the unfenced borders ahead of the polls. The Border Security Force is on high alert. The intensity of naka checking is also very high in these areas. All precautions have been taken to ensure free, fair and peaceful polls,” Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, Manoj Kumar Agarwal, said.

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He added that since the number of Assembly constituencies going to polls in the second phase, the geographical spread and the number of polling booths are lower than in the first phase on April 23, surveillance and security arrangements will be tighter in the second phase.

In the first phase, polling was held at 45,000 booths across 152 Assembly constituencies spread over 16 districts. In the second phase, polling will be held at 40,000 booths across 142 constituencies spread over six districts and Kolkata.

Moreover, the number of police observers in the second phase is 95, which is 11 more than the 84 deployed in the first phase.

“So naturally, the extent of security coverage and surveillance will be higher in the second phase than in the first phase,” the CEO said.

A total of 2,348 companies of central forces — including the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), India Reserve Battalion (IRB) and armed police units from other states — will be deployed in the second phase, in addition to personnel from West Bengal Police and Kolkata Police.

The highest deployment of central forces will be in North 24 Parganas district with 507 companies, followed by South 24 Parganas with 409 companies.

Meanwhile, an insider from the CEO’s office said coastal patrolling has been intensified in the Sundarbans region spread across South 24 Parganas and North 24 Parganas districts due to the extensive coastal boundary with Bangladesh.