West Bengal to witness additional pre-poll deployment of 27 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) by the end of this month, bringing the total to 177 companies. The Election Commission of India has earmarked 920 CAPF companies for the state, the highest among all Indian states. The deployment has already begun.
According to insiders from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, the additional deployment will mainly consist of 15 companies from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), seven from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), and five from the Border Security Force (BSF). The forces have started conducting route marches and interacting with voters to ensure confidence and cooperation.
The ruling Trinamool Congress has objected to the early deployment, claiming that it is affecting the academic schedule due to forces occupying educational institutions. The deployment of CAPF companies, even before the dates of polls and counting were announced, has raised concerns and sparked debates in the state.
The increased presence of CAPF in West Bengal aims to ensure smooth conduct of the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls and prevent any kind of intimidation or disruption. The Central forces are working towards instilling confidence among voters by engaging with them and assuring them of cooperation in case of any issues during the election process.
