CAPF to deploy 89 companies for West Bengal by-elections starting October 25

In preparation for the upcoming by-elections in six assembly seats in West Bengal, the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) will start deploying 89 companies on October 25. This deployment is a crucial part of the security measures to ensure a free and fair voting process scheduled for November 13, which will also coincide with by-elections for one Lok Sabha seat and several other assembly seats across the country.

The Chief Electoral Officer's (CEO) office has detailed that the deployment will include 24 companies from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), 30 companies from the Border Security Force (BSF), 12 from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), and 13 from the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB). This initial deployment is expected to provide adequate security coverage at polling stations, but preliminary assessments indicate a potential need for up to 120 companies to fully secure the electoral process across all six constituencies.

The six assembly constituencies encompass a total of 1,583 polling stations, with the distribution as follows: Medinipur has the highest number of polling stations at 304, followed by Sitai in Cooch Behar with 300, Haroa in North 24 Parganas with 279, Taladandra in Bankura with 264, Madarihat in Alipurduar with 226, and Naihati in North 24 Parganas with 210. This wide distribution highlights the logistical challenges involved in ensuring security at each location.

To enhance transparency and oversight, the Election Commission plans to implement webcasting at all polling stations, mirroring practices from the recent parliamentary elections. This move aims to deter malpractices and reassure voters of the integrity of the electoral process.

The assembly seats became vacant following the election of their legislators in the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year. In the 2021 West Bengal assembly elections, the Trinamool Congress secured five out of the six seats, with Madarihat being the only seat held by the BJP.