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With political tensions rising ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections in West Bengal, the Election Commission has begun reassessing security arrangements across the state. The number of polling booths classified as sensitive and highly sensitive has crossed 100 percent compared to previous assessments, prompting concerns within the Commission. The development has triggered speculation over whether voting will be conducted in a single phase or spread across multiple phases.
After reviewing recent law-and-order reports, the Commission is making a preliminary estimate of how many companies of central forces will be required for deployment during the elections. Officials are closely examining ground-level inputs before finalising the security blueprint for the polls.
Incidents over the past six months, including political clashes, local group conflicts and sporadic unrest linked to election preparations, are being taken into account. A Commission official said reports from remote areas were “quite alarming,” adding that the classification of polling booths is being reviewed afresh in light of the emerging situation.
West Bengal
Bihar
Uttar Pradesh
Jharkhand