The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has asked the West Bengal State Election Commission (SEC) for details on an additional 485 companies of central forces requested for the upcoming panchayat election in the state. The MHA also sought information on the deployment of 337 companies of central forces already sent to West Bengal for the elections. State Election Commissioner Rajiva Sinha had requested more forces for the election, which is scheduled for June 8th, three times previously. The SEC has asked for a total of 822 companies of central forces to be sent for the rural poll. The MHA has also inquired about how the central forces already sent have been utilized and requested details on the districts where these forces have been deployed.
Sinha has also reported that central forces have started confidence building measures in sensitive areas of West Bengal. Nearly 5.67 crore electorate can exercise their franchise to choose representatives in nearly 74,000 seats in zilla parishads, panchayat samiti, and gram panchayats in the state.
The upcoming panchayat election in West Bengal is of great importance to both ruling and opposition parties in the state. In this context, the requirement of additional security forces raises crucial questions about the conduct of the election. The request for more central forces and the MHA’s inquiry could potentially fuel further speculation about the security situation and political tensions in West Bengal.
