Largest ever deployment to stop violence

Craftsmen at a handloom unit manually print the BJP logo onto large pieces of cloth ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections in Nadia on Friday. Pic: PTI

New Delhi: Elections in West Bengal have long outgrown the idea of being merely a democratic festival; they now represent a complex socio-political reality where hope is persistently shadowed by fear. With each electoral cycle, the same unsettling question returns: will the grip of violence loosen this time, or is repetition inevitable? Against this backdrop, the Election Commission has stepped in with unusual urgency and assertiveness ahead of the upcoming assembly polls, with the Chief Election Commissioner expressing confidence that the elections will be conducted in a violence-free environment.

In the run-up to the upcoming assembly elections, the Election Commission has displayed an unusual degree of urgency and assertiveness. On March 15, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar assured that the elections would be violence-free. However, to translate this assurance into reality, the Commission swiftly initiated sweeping administrative changes.

In the first phase, the plan envisages the deployment of 110 companies of the CRPF, 55 of the BSF, 21 of the CISF, 27 of the ITBP, and 27 of the SSB. The second phase will see a further scale-up, with 120 companies of the CRPF and 65 of the BSF, among others.

In addition to the 480 companies already present in the state, this expanded deployment can be described as unprecedented. One company comprises 90 to 125 personnel. To ensure efficient and swift utilization of these forces, integrated control rooms are being set up at both the state and district levels.

The Election Commission has also decided yesterday to continue deployment of 500 companies of central forces in the state even after counting of votes on May 4. The decision is based on past incidents of post-poll violence.

Additionally, 200 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) will be retained in the state for security arrangements of electronic voting machines (EVMs), strong room and counting centres. These companies will remain deployed till the completion of counting in the state.

Major Reshuffle

From the top echelons to the grassroots, the state’s policing structure has undergone a major reshuffle. The appointment of Siddh Nath Gupta as the new Director General of Police, Ajay Kumar Nand as the Kolkata Police Commissioner, along with the transfer of Chief Secretary Nandini Chakravarty and Home Secretary Jagdish Prasad Meena, clearly signals that the Commission is in no mood for complacency.

The changes are not confined to the top tier alone; they extend deep into the administrative machinery. A total of 184 police officers have been transferred, including 173 station house officers. In Kolkata, 31 out of 80 police station heads have been replaced. Additionally, in 18 districts, 97 out of 345 Block Development Officers (BDOS) have been shifted. In essence, the entire administrative framework is being recalibrated and rebuilt, on which the credibility of free and fair elections rests.

The Election Commission has issued clear directives to complete the identification of sensitive areas. These include politically volatile and highly contested regions such as Sandeshkhali, Nandigram, and Bhabanipur. Given the vulnerability of these zones, a detailed action plan is being drawn up for the deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF).

No FIR

At the same time, the Commission has issued an important directive regarding accountability: no FIR will be registered directly against central forces based solely on complaints. A preliminary inquiry will be mandatory before any legal action is initiated. This directive comes in the backdrop of the 2021 Sitalkuchi incident, where the firing by central forces led to the deaths of five villagers, triggering widespread controversy.