EC decides to keep 500 CAPF companies deployed in Bengal post poll

Amid heightened law and order concerns in poll-bound West Bengal, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has decided to retain 500 companies of central forces in the state even after the counting of votes on 4 May.

Officials said the decision was taken in view of past instances of post-poll violence, with one company comprising around 90 to 125 personnel. In addition, 200 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) will be deployed to secure electronic voting machines (EVMs), strong rooms, and counting centres until the completion of the counting process.

West Bengal is scheduled to go to assembly polls in two phases on 23 April and 29 April.

In a related development, the ECI on Thursday handed over the investigation into the gherao of judicial officers in Malda district to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). An agency team is expected to arrive in the state to begin the probe.

The move follows sharp observations by the Supreme Court of India, which criticised the state administration for “complete failure” and inaction over the incident involving the alleged attack and gherao of seven judicial officers during the electoral rolls revision exercise.

The court described the episode as “deplorable” and directed that the matter be investigated by either the NIA or the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), along with deployment of central forces.

Acting on the court’s directive, the ECI has formally requested the NIA to conduct a probe and submit a preliminary report directly to the court.

With PTI inputs